MK Party puts Mxolisi Phakathi’s eThekwini mayoral future in question

uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party first deputy president Duduzane Zuma says Apostle Mxolisi Phakathi will remain the party’s preferred mayoral candidate for eThekwini if it wins control of the municipality. However, Zuma has warned that the party will not hesitate to remove Phakathi if he fails to perform.

Zuma made the remarks as election results began coming in from various municipalities across the country following Wednesday’s, 4 November, local government elections. So far, the MK Party is the leading political party in most municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.

MK PARTY STANDS BY ETHEKWINI MAYORAL CANDIDATE

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika at the National Results Operations Centre (ROC), Zuma said Phakathi remained the party’s preferred candidate and would be considered for the mayoral position if the MK Party secured a majority in eThekwini.

“If he doesn’t perform like we expect him to then he will be removed, that’s our policy. We want people to deliver, we want people to deliver to the best of their abilities. If they’re not able to, then they’re not going to be there,” he said.

[WATCH] MK Party's first deputy president Duduzane Zuma says their eThekwini mayoral candidate Mxolisi Phakathi will not be changed if they win the municipality, but makes it clear that they would not hesitate to remove him if he does not perfom. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/rJgHOY7RfB

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 5, 2026

Phakathi’s position as the party’s eThekwini mayoral candidate follows an earlier change in the party’s leadership and candidate selections.

The MK Party initially announced Zandile Hlophe-Mkhwanazi as its eThekwini mayoral candidate on 28 August. However, former president and party leader Jacob Zuma replaced her with Phakathi just 12 days later.

The change came amid allegations that the party’s councillor candidate lists had been manipulated, with some candidates who had been nominated by party structures allegedly removed and replaced by other individuals.

Jacob Zuma subsequently ordered an investigation into the allegations, saying that there was no place for manipulation, political gatekeeping or the abuse of organisational processes within the party.

Hlophe-Mkhwanazi and another senior party official, Sibonelo Maphumulo, were also removed from the party’s National Party Liaison Committee (NPLC), which serves as its official channel of communication with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) on electoral matters.

PARTY MEMBERS REMOVED AMID INTERNAL DISPUTES

The candidate-list controversy has also resulted in further internal changes within the organisation.

Speaking previously about the disputes, Duduzane Zuma acknowledged that there had been internal contestation and alleged sabotage surrounding the candidate selection process.

He said some councillor candidates had been moved between ward and proportional representation lists and between different regions.

Zuma also confirmed that some individuals had already been removed from their positions as investigations into the alleged irregularities continued.

The MK Party has maintained that it is investigating the matter and that those found responsible for wrongdoing would face appropriate action.