MK Party Spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu Shuts Down Interview With Publication

GAUTENG— The newly appointed uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) national spokesperson, Sifiso Mahlangu, walked out of a live interview with News24 after being pressed on his journalistic integrity. The session ended prematurely when Mahlangu refused to clarify whether he secretly consulted for the political organisation while serving as executive editor of The Star newspaper.

According to News24, the verbal confrontation occurred during a scheduled question-and-answer session with journalist Muhammad. The discussion deteriorated when the reporter questioned Mahlangu, who replaced Nhlamulo Ndhlela, about a controversial social media post by Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, which explicitly claimed he attended internal party communications meetings in December 2023.

Mahlangu grew defensive, accusing the interviewer of focusing on past tweets rather than critical national matters. He insisted that the conversation should address immigration policies, healthcare, and housing crises instead of his personal timeline, arguing that his left-leaning views were firmly established long before his official political appointment.

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Sifiso Mahlangu demands written communication

Before cutting the discussion short, Mahlangu demanded that the reporter submit five specific questions in writing, promising to provide direct answers for publication. Although the news platform complied and transmitted the written queries within the hour, the spokesperson completely failed to send the promised responses.

The abrupt walkout highlights intense public scrutiny regarding the ethical transitions of media professionals into political roles. Mahlangu maintained that his credibility remained fully intact, claiming that his conversations about South Africa preceded the formation of the party and that other political alignments would never face criticism.

MK Party to weigh in on shutdown

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the MK Party said it would provide its official stance on the upcoming shutdown. The party's secretary-general said the party supports March and March.

Source: Briefly News