MK Party Names Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi as eThekwini Mayoral Candidate After Internal Purge
- Jacob Zuma dissolved the MK Party's Presidential Task Team and ordered a forensic investigation into alleged candidate list manipulation
- Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi and Sibonelo Maphumulo were removed from the National Party Liaison Committee amid the sweeping changes
- Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi was named the new eThekwini mayoral candidate ahead of the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Twitter
KWAZULU-NATAL — Whistleblowers inside the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) have prompted a major internal cleanup that saw the dissolution of the Presidential Task Team and the dismissal of key party liaisons. The revelations centered on fraudulent list tampering prior to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) submission deadline.
Internal Whistleblowers Expose Scheme
Disgruntled party members brought to light an illegal scheme in which legitimate local council nominees were secretly removed and replaced with unapproved individuals. The internal findings triggered swift punitive measures from the Office of the President on 9 September 2026. Former eThekwini mayoral pick Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi and senior official Sibonelo Maphumulo were stripped of their roles on the National Party Liaison Committee (NPLC).
New Mayoral Deployment for eThekwini
Party leader Jacob Zuma introduced Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi as the official replacement to head the party's election push for the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality. The leadership praised rank-and-file members who alerted officials to the misconduct, maintaining that the upcoming forensic audit will pursue both organizational sanctions and legal recourse against those implicated.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Party officials issued an apology to commercial stakeholders and affected regional branches for the administrative confusion caused by the removals. As the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections approach, Zuma urged party structures to close ranks behind Phakathi and focus entirely on securing municipal victories.
Read the tweet on X:
MK Party welcomes SIU findings into Nkandla
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the MK Party’s response to the Special Tribunal ruling on the Nkandla upgrades. Secretary-General Sibonelo Nomvalo said the judgment raised questions about whether Jacob Zuma was solely responsible for the project’s costs.
The architect, Minenhle Makhanya, was ordered to repay R147.3 million after the project’s costs increased from R28 million to R216 million. The ruling could challenge the long-standing public narrative surrounding financial responsibility for the controversial upgrades.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
