Latest news with #WilliesMchunu
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Willies Mchunu defends MPLs' decision to oppose the Division of Revenue Bill
MKP convenor in KwaZulu-Natal Willies Mchunu says the party will not discipline the six MPLs who voted against the Bill. Image: supplied Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) will not discipline the 'rebelling' six members of KwaZulu-Natal Legislature who voted against the Division of Revenue Bill because they did the 'right thing' This was confirmed by the party's provincial leader Willies Mchunu on Saturday. He said there was no plan to act against the six MPLs for their action which the party does not deem wrong. He stated that when you look at the national leadership position on the Bill which rejected it, the six members do not seem to be in the wrong. Mchunu further stated that there was no communication between the provincial leadership and the caucus before voting therefore the party will not act against anyone, adding that he has directed the caucus to discuss the matter and find each other. 'We will not act against anyone in this matter and we have directed our caucus to sort it out themselves in the legislature. I think there was a misunderstanding,' said Mchunu. In an unprecedented move last week, six party MPLs broke ranks with the caucus and voted against the bill while 31 other members supported during the chamber sitting, prompting calls for action against the 'rebelling' MPLs, however, the members defended their decision. The member who spoke on condition of anonymity on Thursday denied going against the party's position, saying it was him and other five members who kept the long-standing position and voted against the Bill. He stated that firstly, the new chief whip Bonginkosi Mngadi never called a caucus meeting before voting and there was no new instruction for members to vote in a particular way. He said in the absence of an instruction, the six of them followed a long-standing position that the MKP will never support anything that comes from the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) since the party believes the elections were rigged. Furthermore, the member said to prove that they were not wrong, the party has not charged them after explaining their side to the provincial leadership under convener Willies Mchunu. The member further said that in their engagement with Mchunu it "became clear that it was an oversight from those who supported the Bill". However, the party chief whip Bonginkosi Mngadi disputed the member's version that there was no meeting or mandate to support the Bill. He stated that he called a caucus meeting where he informed the members of the position and even articulated the position when he spoke for the party before voting for the Bill. 'I am chief whip of the party in the legislature and spoke in the chamber that the party will support the Bill since it was talking about transparency and accountability so I was speaking on behalf of the party,' said Mngadi. He said he would not want to discuss the matter further since it was reported to the provincial leadership. There was also confusion when the same Bill was voted in parliament on Wednesday where the MKP chief whip Colleen Makhubekele voted yes for the bill only to change her vote later, arguing that she thought the vote was about the Ad hoc committee on allegations of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu's interference in police operations which we were reported by KwaZulu-Natal provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. [email protected]
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Six MKP members in KZN defend their vote against the Division of Revenue Bill
The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature building in Pietermaritzburg. Image: Shan Pillay One of the six Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) members of KwaZulu-Natal legislature who voted against the Division of Revenue Bill has defended their decision and accused the party MPLs who supported it as out of line. In an unprecedented move, six party MPLs broke ranks with the caucus and voted against the bill while 31 other members supported during the chamber sitting last week, prompting calls for action against the 'rebelling' MPLs. The member who spoke on condition of anonymity on Thursday denied going against the party's position, saying it was him and other five members who kept the long-standing position and voted against the Bill. He stated that firstly, the new chief whip never called a caucus meeting before voting and there was no new instruction for members to vote in a particular way therefore the six of them followed a long-standing position that the MKP will never support anything that comes from the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) since the party believes the elections were rigged. 'We hear people saying we undermined the party's instruction and we wonder which one because we never received any instruction to vote for this bill nor were we called to a caucus meeting before voting. In the absence of any new instruction, we decided to follow the long-standing position we were given when the government was constituted last year that our party will not support any thing that would come with the GPU since we were robbed of an opportunity that was given to us by the voters to be the government of the province,' said the member. Furthermore, the member said to prove that they were not wrong, the party has not charged them after explaining their side to the provincial leadership under convener Willies Mchunu. The member further said that in their engagement with Mchunu it "became clear that it was an oversight from those who supported the Bill". However, the party chief whip Bonginkosi Mngadi disputed the member's version that there was no meeting or mandate to support the Bill. He stated that he called a caucus meeting where he informed the members of the position and even articulated the position when he spoke for the party before voting for the Bill. 'I am chief whip of the party in the legislature and spoke in the chamber that the party will support the Bill since it was talking about transparency and accountability so I was speaking on behalf of the party,' said Mngadi. He said he would not want to discuss the matter further since it was reported to the provincial leadership. Attempts to get Willies Mchunu were unsuccessful. There was also confusion when the same Bill was voted in parliament on Wednesday where the MKP chief whip Colleen Makhubekele voted yes for the bill only to change her vote later, arguing that she thought the vote was about the Ad hoc committee on allegations of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu's interference in police operations which we were reported by KwaZulu-Natal provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. [email protected]
IOL News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
MK Party aims to dominate the 2026 local government elections after KZN by-election wins
Umkhonto weSizwe Party won another by-election in KZN and its leaders are projecting a dominant performance in the 2026 local government elections. Picture: Itumeleng English Independent Newspapers Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers The Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) is on track to dominate other parties come the 2026 local government elections. That is the view expressed by the convener of the party in KwaZulu-Natal, Willies Mchunu, following another by-election win by the party on Wednesday at the Mandeni local municipality. The ward previously belonged to the ANC. 'People have been failed by the ANC, and we are taking over where the ANC has failed. While we may have started a bit slow, we have now become unstoppable. There is no party that is going to stop us come the 2026 local government elections. 'To date, we have won four by-elections on the trot, including in Richmond, Durban, KwaDukuza and now in Emandeni. The people are seeing that the MKP is the party that is there to represent their aspirations,' he told The Mercury in a telephonic interview yesterday. He said while the party has faced challenges that created minor disciplinary issues, after it put a constitution in place, it brought focus to the organisation, and all its branches are now aware of the task at hand. 'The president of the party, Zuma, has spoken out about the intentions of the party, which is to liberate black people—liberate them politically, socially, and economically. For that to be achieved, we must get a two-thirds majority to change the constitution and address these challenges,' said Mchunu. Political analyst Syabonga Ntombela said the MKP founder and President Jacob Zuma is still a major factor in the province's politics. 'If it was not for Mr Jacob Zuma, the MKP would have been like any other party splinter from the ANC. He is the magnet that draws people to the organisation. The MKP's scandals have not had a direct impact on people's lives. 'The ANC has been on a downward trajectory even before President Cyril Ramaphosa because it has failed dismally to govern and self-correct. People are not stupid; they can see through lies and empty promises. This is the reckoning; the chickens are coming home to roost. This decline is the continuation of what happened in the last general elections. 'This drive to rebuild or call to renew the ANC is the sound of a broken record. The ANC cannot achieve in one year what it has failed to do in more than ten years,' he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Another political analyst, Daniel Silke, said the ANC continues to face an uphill battle in KZN as it tries to reclaim lost ground. He said the fact that the MKP can win a ward against the larger, more efficient organisational capacity of the ANC is indicative of disarray and discontent within the ANC, particularly in KZN.
