Johannesburg – Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party parliamentary leader John Hlophe has accused Chief Whip Philasande Mkhize of defying party president Jacob Zuma’s instructions and undermining his authority, calling for urgent intervention to resolve an escalating leadership dispute.
In a letter dated November 9, 2026, addressed to First Deputy President Duduzane Zuma, Second Deputy President Tony Yengeni and Acting Secretary-General Lindiwe Mtshali, Hlophe said Mkhize continued issuing instructions to parliamentary caucus members without consulting or obtaining approval from his office.
According to IOL, Hlophe also complained that Mkhize had convened a parliamentary whippery meeting on November 9 without informing him, allegedly involving members of a reconstituted structure that Zuma had ordered to be reversed.
The latest confrontation follows an October 22 directive by Zuma instructing Hlophe to restore the previous parliamentary whippery arrangements and reaffirming his authority as the party’s parliamentary leader.
Confusion
“I expect your leadership authority to be respected in the coordination of our parliamentary affairs,” Zuma wrote in his letter to Hlophe.
However, as previously reported by Sunday World, Mkhize subsequently wrote to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza withdrawing a request to reinstate four MPs to their previous positions.
In the correspondence, Mkhize said the October 12 restructuring “remains in force and must be implemented accordingly”.
The four MPs affected were Visvin Reddy, Siyabonga Gama, Saira Abader and David Skosana.
Hlophe has now raised concerns that Mkhize’s continued use of the disputed structure is creating confusion over authority and organisational discipline within the parliamentary caucus.
He also questioned reports that Mkhize had held private engagements with senior party officials, including Duduzane Zuma and Mtshali, during which the reconstituted whippery was allegedly endorsed.
Working relationship
Hlophe said he could not independently confirm whether the engagements had taken place or whether any decisions had been reached that contradicted Zuma’s directive.
In his letter, he called for an urgent written response from the party leadership, including confirmation that Zuma’s instructions remained binding.
“My position remains that the working relationship with Hon. Mkhize has irreconcilably broken down and that the matter requires a definitive organisational resolution,” Hlophe wrote.
The dispute is the latest development in a series of leadership and structural changes within the MK Party, which has repeatedly reshuffled its parliamentary leadership since entering Parliament after the 2024 general elections.
The Citizen previously reported on the party’s October parliamentary reshuffle, which saw five new whips appointed and several existing office-bearers removed from their positions.
IOL reported that it had sent questions to MK Party spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu but had not received a response by the time of publication.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
