MK Party Fires Secretary-General Ahead of Local Elections

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party dismissed its secretary-general, Sibonelo Nomvalo, on October 22, 2026, less than two weeks before local government elections scheduled for November 4. Nomvalo was the seventh person to hold the position since the party's formation in December 2023.

Party leadership cited concerns over internal factionalism, dual remuneration, and delays in campaign materials. Specifically, the party accused Nomvalo of establishing high-level deployment committees and reshuffling parliamentary caucus and administrative structures without informing party president Jacob Zuma, national officials, or the presidency collective. He was also criticized for issues regarding the councillor selection process.

Lindiwe Mtshali has been appointed acting secretary-general, working alongside national chairperson Mxolisi Phakathi. National spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu has assumed additional responsibilities as deputy secretary-general. To ensure organizational continuity, the party also appointed five new parliamentary whips and removed several other office-bearers.

Despite his removal from the leadership role, Nomvalo remains a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly. While the party has faced ongoing instability and previous member expulsions, the leadership shake-up is viewed as unlikely to impact voters in the party's KwaZulu-Natal stronghold, where support remains tied to the personal influence of Jacob Zuma.