MK SNATCHES ZANDILE GUMEDE IN BID TO CONSOLIDATE TOTAL CONTROL OF KZN AHEAD OF LOCAL ELECTIONS
- Mpho Dube
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
Corruption-accused former eThekwini mayor elevated to MK deputy convener as Zuma’s party goes for the jugular in 2026 polls
By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief
The Azanian | Truth. Fearless. Unfiltered.
AZANIAFROCOMEDIA – The Catalyst of Impact
Nearly seven years after she was unceremoniously removed as eThekwini mayor, Mama Zandile Gumede is back in the game — and this time she’s wearing green, black and gold.
The uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MK) on Monday unveiled Mama bGumede as its new Deputy Provincial Convener for KwaZulu-Natal, a calculated move that lays bare MK’s strategy to snatch total control of KZN ahead of the much-anticipated local government elections.
The announcement drew the loudest reaction of the day. Supporters erupted into applause before breaking into song and chant:
“Kancane, sekusele kancane sizothatha iTheku” — “It’s only a matter of time before MK takes eThekwini.”
Gumede, once the powerful ANC eThekwini Regional Chairperson and mayor from 2016 to August 2019, still faces fraud and corruption charges linked to a R208-million Durban Solid Waste tender.
The ANC removed her citing a “continuous and sustained decline of the quality of service delivery” in eThekwini, insisting at the time that the criminal charges were not a factor.
Despite suspension and later leaving the ANC, Gumede retained a loyal support base in the metro — the exact structure MK now wants to weaponize.
Announcing the new leadership, MK Secretary-General Sibonelo Nomvalo said the changes reflected the party’s “continued growth every day.”
The timing is no accident. KZN is central to MK’s political ambitions.
In the 2024 general election, MK emerged as the largest party in the province with 37 of 80 seats — ahead of IFP (15), ANC (14), DA (11), EFF (2) and NFP (1).
But a dispute over results delayed coalition talks. That delay allowed the IFP, ANC, DA and NFP to form a governing coalition with 41 seats, leaving MK in opposition.
Since then, MK has made several unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the coalition. A December 2025 motion of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli failed after then-NFP MEC Mbali Shinga cast the decisive vote. In April 2026, the NFP expelled Shinga, but the coalition held.
For MK, winning KZN is everything. It is the country’s second-most populous province and home to former President Jacob Zuma’s strongest support base. Taking control would give MK its first provincial government and a springboard for the 2029 general election.
Addressing Monday’s briefing, Zuma said MK had “in just two years, changed the trajectory of South African politics” and called on black South Africans to unite behind the party’s vision of “reclaiming the country.”
“eThekwini is a very big city. Let us take back the country of our forefathers. In two years’ time, this country would have changed whether we like it or not,” Zuma said.
Speaking on the sidelines, Nomvalo was also pressed on Zuma’s recent trip to India, after images of the former president garlanded with flowers circulated online. Nomvalo insisted it was “a personal visit” and “unrelated to party business.”
“The fact that he’s the former head of state does not preclude him from visiting any area in the world. Everyone has a freedom to privacy,” Nomvalo said.
Political analysts say Gumede’s appointment is significant not only because of her name recognition, but because she built a machine in eThekwini that outlived her ANC membership.
For MK, she represents both risk and reward — a polarizing figure who can mobilize wards, but who also hands opponents ammunition over governance and ethics.
As KZN heads into local elections, one thing is clear: MK is no longer playing for opposition. It is playing for power. And with Zandile Gumede back on the frontline, the battle for eThekwini just got personal.
The Azanian will continue to monitor developments in KZN as parties position themselves ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
For news, analysis and unapologetic African perspectives, follow The Azanian.
