Jacob Zuma has done it again!
Less than two weeks before South Africans head to the polls for the local government elections, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party has fired its secretary-general – the very man who was expected to lead its manifesto programme this weekend.
In a statement issued from Zuma’s office on Thursday night, the party announced the immediate removal of Advocate Sibonelo Nomvalo, accusing him of running the organisation like his personal fiefdom.
It is the seventh time Zuma has removed a secretary-general since forming the MK Party in December 2023.
Nomvalo, who is also an MP and sat on Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing the explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, had only been in the job since March.
He replaced Bongani Mncwango, a former Sanlam executive, who was axed after just seven months without ever being given a reason. Mncwango has since joined the IFP.
Before him, Floyd Shivambu, Arthur Zwane, Sihle Ngubane, Sfiso Maseko and Thanduxolo Dyodo all held the same position and all were shown the door.
Now Nomvalo has suffered the same fate.
According to the party, Nomvalo was fired for making major organisational decisions behind the back of the leadership.
The statement accused him of setting up high-level deployment committees without the knowledge of Zuma and the national officials, and of reshuffling the parliamentary caucus and administration without informing the party’s presidency collective.
Other charges include concerns over the councillor selection process at a critical time before elections, fuelling internal factionalism, issues around dual remuneration and delays in the delivery of campaign materials.
“These matters have raised concerns regarding organisational coordination, internal communication, accountability and adherence to established party procedures,” the party said in the statement.
“He is requested to cooperate fully with the relevant structures to ensure a smooth and orderly handover of his duties.”
In typical MK Party fashion, the statement thanked Nomvalo for his contribution and wished him well, while immediately announcing a replacement.
Deputy secretary-general Lindiwe Mtshali has been appointed acting secretary-general and will work with national chairperson Mxolisi Phakathi to keep the administration running.
The timing could not be worse.
Nomvalo was expected to be front and centre this weekend as the MK Party launches its local government manifesto, a make-or-break moment for a party that shocked the country in the 2024 general elections but has since been crippled by infighting.
His removal once again exposes the deep instability at the heart of Zuma’s party, where power is concentrated in one man and where no secretary-general has managed to survive a full year.
The pattern is now well established. In June, Nomvalo himself announced the immediate expulsion of Zuma’s own daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, and former party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, saying they had acted against the party’s values and constitution.
Ndhlela hit back days later, telling a media briefing that the party had never had a capable secretary-general and openly criticising Nomvalo’s leadership.
The chaos is not limited to the SG office. On August 4, Zuma purged his top leadership, removing Nkosinathi Nhleko as national chairperson, John Hlophe as first deputy president and Nomsa Dlamini as deputy secretary-general, and appointing his son Duduzane Zuma as first deputy president.
Phakathi replaced Nhleko and Mtshali replaced Dlamini in that reshuffle.