- Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla broke her silence on the MK Party in a candid podcast-style interview, addressing her expulsion and Nhlamulo Ndhlela's removal
- She revealed that Ndhlela's departure as party spokesperson had been discussed for nearly a year before it happened, including with senior party figures
- Zuma-Sambudla pushed back on claims that she and Ndhlela were sources of instability, saying the situation inside the party has only deteriorated since they left
Source: Getty Images
SOUTH AFRICA — Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla has spoken out about the inner workings of the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party following her expulsion, claiming that conditions within the party have worsened since she and former spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela departed.
In an interview with Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh on his SMWX podcast shared on X by @ThisIsColbert, Zuma-Sambudla offered a candid account of the circumstances surrounding both her own removal and that of Ndhlela, who had served as the party's public face before being dismissed amid accusations of conducting media briefings without authorisation.
Ndhlela's exit was long in the making
Zuma-Sambudla disputed the official reasoning given for Ndhlela's removal, saying the claim that he held press engagements without authority was simply not credible. She said she had been in discussions about his position for close to a year before his departure, including conversations with Sifiso Mahlangu, the party's current spokesperson, ahead of Ndhlela's joining the party.
"I did say to him that it's a sweet fire; it's really not worth it. You've done your bit," she said.
She added that she had encouraged him to find a way to exit. She described what he was enduring within the party as not being worth the personal cost.
Party accused of using them as scapegoats
Addressing the narrative that she and Ndhlela had been destabilising forces inside the MK Party, Zuma-Sambudla rejected the framing outright. She said that rather than being sources of disorder, the two of them had been used as convenient targets to deflect from the agendas of those surrounding her father, former President Jacob Zuma.
"Nhlamulo and I were always the scapegoats for whatever agendas individuals and people around my father have had," she said.
She acknowledged that from the outside, the state of the party was concerning.
"I personally feel like things have just gotten worse," she said.
She added that being removed from the situation had given her the perspective to assess the damage more clearly.
Zuma-Sambudla also pushed back on the suggestion that she had operated as a behind-the-scenes power broker within the MK Party.
"I've never liked it," she said of that characterisation.
Watch Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla's full interview on X:
Western Cape High Court orders MKP MPs' reinstatement
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Western Cape High Court ordered the MK Party to reinstate expelled MPs Pumlani Kubukeli and Dr Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala.
The ruling drew a public reaction from Zuma-Sambudla, who was recently removed from the party. She congratulated the MPs and warned that organisations must follow due process.
Source: Briefly News
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