Power josling erupts in the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) as the Limpopo provincial deputy organiser Ponani Makhubele has announced her resignation from both her position and the party, on Sunday, 18 May 2025.
Makhubele, who was appointed to the position by MK Party secretary general Floyd Shivambu in January this year after ditching the ANC, dropped the bombshell in her resignation letter, revealing that the party is rocked by factional tensions.
She accused the provincial coordinator and former EFF provincial chairperson Tshilidzi Maraga of sidelining her and mobilising MKP members against her, especially in the Mopani region, where she was deployed.
The former ANC MP said tensions started brewing when she complained about how Maraga and the fundraiser Maxwel Chauke were running the organisation’s affairs.
“From the second week of our appointment I have experienced serious emotional abuse from the provincial coordinator and fundraiser.
“This came after I complained that the coordinator and fundraiser are using the organisation to fulfil their personal mission as a result it gets disrespectful to us as whenever they want to meet they convene detachment meetings with no organisational agenda
“The coordinator and fundraiser are dividing the detachment ,in actual fact they have divided the detachment using money to take advantage of material conditions of members of detachment in order to have their way,“ said Makhubele.
She alleged that Maraga and Chauke are using money to manage the views of the members, and any person who defies them gets sidelined, and that is dividing the organisation in the province.
“The use of money to manage views will collapse the party ,they succeeded divided organising office of Limpopo ,fortunately people on the ground knows that I am not a sell out and I can’t be bought ,only those who are also benefiting from them will look at me as an agents, “ she mentioned.
She further revealed that during the launch of MK party’s 1000 branch membership in December 2024 at Ngove village in Giyani, where the party’s president Jacob Zuma, was in attendance, party MP Penny Penny accused her of being a spy.
“Penny Penny once accused me of being a spy to the party and started to spread lies about me and that blocked all communication channels for me to seek for interventions from the highest high command.
“I did reach out to Floyd Shivambu about this and he promised to address it, but he never came back to me and I just thought the matter was resolved,” said Makhabule.
In a letter seen by African Times News, directed to Makhubele, the provincial coordinator asked her to provide reasons for failing to attend three consecutive provincial detachment meetings without apology.
In an email response, Makhubele replied, “Don’t you find it strange that you are sending Me this letter yet you never sent any to invite me ?? What’s the procedure in question? You don’t ask for accountability where there is no invitation letter. Atleast note that practice and exercise it” SIC.
Attempts to solicit comments from MKP provincial coordinator Tshilidzi Maraga drew blanks.
