Makhubele was the speaker of the Johannesburg metro council before joining the MK party.
Questions have been raised about the political future of former uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party chief whip Colleen Makhubele, following her resignation as an MP.
On Monday, The Citizen reported that Makhubele had resigned from the party and will be leaving parliament at the end of February.
The circumstances surrounding her resignation are unclear, but there is speculation that she may have been forced out of the party.
Resignation letter
“After careful consideration, I have decided that, in the best interest of the MK party caucus at this time. I believe that I can better serve our country and its citizens by utilising my skills, qualifications, and experience in a different capacity.
“I still resonate with the message and clarion call that led me to transition from my former political party, SARA, to MK party in June 2024. This call remains as relevant today as ever, despite the misrepresentations and concentrated efforts to create divisions both internally and externally.
“I am deeply grateful for the confidence shown in me by the MK party President, Jacob Zuma, and the collective leadership of the MK party.
“In the short time I served in Parliament, I was honoured to rise to the highest level of the official opposition in Parliament. I will forever cherish the opportunity to serve the nation of South Africa, its citizens, and the MK party,” she said in her resignation letter.
Return to council …. as mayor?
There is speculation in political circles that Makhubele will reappear as a Johannesburg mayoral candidate for a new political party. But this has not been confirmed.
The Citizen sent her questions inquiring about her future but she has not responded. This article will be updated once she has.
A turbulent time in the MK Party?
Makhubele was sworn in as a parliamentarian in January last year.
But her term in parliament has been marred by disputes with some members of the caucus.
Some of the caucus members she did not get along with include Jacob Zuma’s daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who has also stepped down as an MP, and the party’s spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
Later, there were reports that she had also fallen out with the suspended deputy president of the party, John Hlophe. Her appointment as parliamentary chief whip was controversial. She was subsequently removed from this position.
‘Willing to move when internal dynamics no longer align with her trajectory’
Theo Neethling, a political analyst at the University of Free State (UFS), told The Citizen that Makhubele’s resignation from parliament is less a shock than a continuation of a pattern that has defined her political career.
“From her time in Congress of the People (COPE), to launching her own vehicle in SARA, to her brief but high-profile stint in MK party under Jacob Zuma, Makhubele has consistently positioned herself as an independent-minded political actor willing to move when internal dynamics no longer align with her trajectory.
“Her rise to MKP chief whip, and subsequent removal amid factional turbulence, reflected both her ambition and the instability within the party. Her departure appears less ideological than structural.”
Neethling said the MK party has been marred by leadership reshuffles and internal contestation, and Makhubele’s exit suggests discomfort with that volatility, or at least recognition that her influence within it had narrowed.
“In broader terms, Makhubele’s political journey illustrates a key feature of South Africa’s post-2024 landscape: fluid loyalties, fragile smaller parties, and personalities often outweighing institutional cohesion.
“Her resignation is not merely personal; it is symptomatic of a party system still in flux. I don’t have any idea what the future will hold for her politically,” he said.
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