DURBAN, KwaZulu-Natal — Excluded MK Party councillor candidates, represented by an MK Party spokesperson, have convened a press briefing to urge the public to continue voting for the organization in the upcoming elections, despite an ongoing internal crisis regarding an allegedly tampered candidate list.
Accompanied by community members from the wards they were slated to represent, the affected candidates addressed the media to clarify their position and outline their next steps. The controversy centers on the candidate list submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). According to the group, the irregularities were discovered by party members on September 1, three days after the IEC’s August 28 submission deadline.
The group’s spokesperson alleged that 36 council candidates, who were not chosen by their respective communities, were illegally submitted to the IEC. The spokesperson expressed deep suspicions of corruption and fraud, emphasizing that these unauthorized changes jeopardized the party’s position in winning municipalities and compromised the will of the people.
Despite the internal turmoil, the spokesperson maintained a strong message of loyalty to the party’s leadership and its broader electoral goals. “Our position to the members of the community and our people is to say on the 4th of November, while the party is dealing with the issue internally, we request everyone to go out and vote for the party,” the spokesperson explained. They stressed that supporters must not betray the organization over the actions of a few individuals who allegedly tampered with the list, noting that internal issues will be addressed after the voting process.
When pressed on the internal processes the group has pursued, the spokesperson noted that while specific confidential details could not be revealed publicly, the group has exhausted its internal avenues. They are now demanding that the party take decisive action, including dismissing the members involved and pursuing criminal charges against those who tampered with the list. The spokesperson expressed confidence that Party President Jacob Zuma does not support the jeopardizing of the candidate list and will handle the matter appropriately.
This candidate list controversy emerges amid broader uncertainty within the MK Party. Recently, the party’s general secretary was fired in the wake of reported allegations surrounding the compromised list. Furthermore, the First Deputy President of the MK Party recently affirmed that the organization would deal decisively with anyone found to be involved in the list controversy.
While the excluded candidates maintain their respect for the IEC as an independent institution with its own jurisdiction, they insist that the internal integrity of the party must be restored through strict accountability. They continue to call on their communities to trust the organization and cast their votes for the MK Party on November 4 while the internal disciplinary matters are resolved.
