WeeklySA_AdminSTRATEGY: Umkhonto weSizwe Party leader Jacob Zuma announces formation of a presidential task team to manage the party’s rapid growth and election readiness, as MK prepares for local government elections amid internal restructuring and rising political scrutiny…
By Lehlohonolo Lehana
Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has announced the establishment of a presidential task team as part of the preparation for the local government elections.
MK Party leader Jacob Zuma briefed the media in Umhlanga in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
Zuma announced the 11 team members, a group that includes his son, Duduzani Zuma, saying the party’s significant growth informed the decision to establish this unit. He stated that he is unable to attend to all party duties personally and will be delegating responsibilities to the team to ensure consistent operational management.
“They are going to be playing very important roles in terms of helping and adding to what we do. For example, I might be in Durban, Joburg, or Cape Town and everywhere else, so it is important that I have a team that will be on the job all the time,” Zuma said.
Zuma also said he is often inundated with many consultations and meetings at his homestead. He said this committee will help him to attend to all the complaints and meetings he has.
“People come to me… to ask ‘what is this, what is that?’. Alone, I cannot handle that. I need a committee that must be able to deal with that. If there is an issue at any place they are there.” “I will be working with them, they will be reporting to me. I will therefore know what is happening.”
In recent weeks, the MK party has been accused by supporters and critics alike of playing political musical chairs. Officials have been removed, redeployed or replaced as Zuma tightens his grip on the organisation’s structure.
Third-largest party
The most high-profile move came on Wednesday, when the party confirmed that former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe had resigned as a Member of Parliament. Molefe, who faces corruption allegations, stepped down from Parliament to focus full-time on his role as the party’s treasurer-general.
Molefe was only appointed treasurer-general last month, replacing Mpiyakhe Limba. The MK party insists the move is strategic rather than punitive, framing it as part of a broader effort to build organisational discipline and financial sustainability. According to a poll conducted on behalf of The Brenthurst Foundation in 2024, the MK party is the third-largest party in the country, with 15% in the polls, behind the ANC at 39% and the DA at 27%.
That success has not gone uncontested. Former president Thabo Mbeki recently reignited debate by suggesting that remnants of apartheid-era security structures may have been “activated” to undermine the ANC and benefit the MK party during the 2024 elections.
The MK party wasted no time in pushing back, dismissing Mbeki’s claims as reckless and dangerous. On social media, supporters rallied behind Zuma, accusing critics of refusing to accept the party’s grassroots appeal. – Fullview
MIRROR Briefs
Vodacom donates R6m for Moz, SA flood relief
Vodacom Foundations, in partnership with government agencies and humanitarian organisations, have committed R6 million towards disaster-relief efforts in Mozambique and South Africa.
The donation follows severe flooding that has displaced thousands of people and caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure. It will support immediate humanitarian assistance, community rebuilding initiatives and efforts to help affected families begin their recovery.
Since the beginning of the year, severe flooding has devastated communities across southern and central Mozambique. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the most recent floods have displaced more than 400 000 people.
Provinces such as Gaza, Maputo and parts of central Mozambique have been among the hardest hit, with rapidly rising floodwaters forcing families to evacuate with little warning and without essential belongings.
In South Africa, recent flooding in Limpopo province has resulted in loss of life and widespread damage to homes and infrastructure, particularly in the Mopani, Vhembe and Sekhukhune district.
Ayman Essam, representing Vodacom, said: “The devastation caused by the floods in Mozambique and South Africa is a profound tragedy that has displaced families, disrupted livelihoods and claimed lives”.
In Mozambique, Vodacom’s technology teams continue to work around the clock under extremely challenging conditions to restore connectivity. Flooded roads, power outages and damaged infrastructure have complicated restoration efforts, but the network is recovering steadily.
‘Tech-led shift can fix housing crisis’
Nearly 2, 5 million families were still on the waiting list for housing in South Africa despite the fact that the right to adequate housing was a basic human right reflected both in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the country’s Constitution.
This was said by President Cyril Ramaphosa during his address at the Innovative Building Technologies Summit that was held at Nasrec, Johannesburg this week. South Africa, like many other countries in the world, faced a growing demand for housing which was not merely about shelter, but was also about belonging, security and opportunity.
Having shelter that provided privacy, safety and freedom was inextricably bound to human dignity, Ramaphosa added.
“The right to adequate housing must not be the sole privilege of those with money. It is an aspiration for all that our Constitution compels us to progressively realise.’’
The President said since 1994, the democratic government had been able to provide more than five million housing opportunities. This achievement stood among the most ambitious social programmes on this continent that had transformed millions of lives.
The acute shortage of housing, according to Ramaphosa, followed inadequate supply, limited land availability, rising construction costs and delays in project delivery, all of which were contributing to a situation of scarcity.
“This had consequences. For the middle class, prices and rents are being pushed upwards. For the poor, homelessness and the proliferation of informal settlements are exacerbating already dire conditions. The delivery of basic services to unplanned settlements is stretching the capacity and the resources of the State.’’ The President added that rapid urbanisation, population growth, migration and climate change were reshaping the human settlements on an unprecedented scale. – Monk Nkomo
Limpopo flood damage affects health services
Dozens of health facilities across Limpopo damaged by the flooding triggered by persistent heavy rains in December, are partially inaccessible and others operating under strain.
At Tswinga Clinic outside Thohoyandou, the perimeter fence collapsed, exposing the clinic to potential criminal activity and disrupting healthcare services.
A nurse at the clinic says that without a fence, they are in a vulnerable position.“Clinics are often targeted. We don’t want a repeat of incidents like the Chuene Clinic in January 2025, where nurses were kidnapped, robbed and raped. Anyone can now walk into the clinic,” one nurse says.
The nurse adds that staff continue reporting for duty despite fears for their safety. “We are here to help patients,” she says.
Health MEC Dieketseng Mashego visited Tswinga Clinic recently to inspect the main damage to the clinic’s fence. She said a maintenance team had begun urgent repairs to restore security at the facility.
Limpopo Department of Health spokesperson Neil Shikwambana confirmed that repairs at Tswinga Clinic are underway but have not yet been completed.
Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has said that the estimated cost of repairing damaged health facilities currently stands at R7 million. The figure is expected to increase as assessments continue and further rainfall is forecast.
In the Mopani District, seven hospitals and 19 clinics sustained damage, while storm-related destruction was recorded at Bela-Bela, Ellisras, FH Odendaal and Mokopane hospitals in the Waterberg District.
In Vhembe District, Elim Hospital – one of the region’s largest referral hospitals – suffered extensive storm damage after sections of its roof were compromised. The damage forced management to close some wards and relocate staff and patients. – Health-e News
