Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read | 29 December 2025

The MK Party’s strong 2024 election showing is now under scrutiny, with analyst Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast warning that internal instability could derail its future momentum. 📸 Photo credit: Doctor Ngcobo / Independent Newspapers.

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party emerged as one of the most significant political surprises of South Africa’s 2024 general elections, securing enough support to become the country’s third-largest party and displacing the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) from that position. However, despite its strong electoral debut, concerns are mounting over the party’s sustainability amid internal instability and leadership challenges.

Speaking on Radio Islam International, political analyst Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the MK Party’s initial performance should not be underestimated, particularly its ability to draw support away from established parties such as the African National Congress (ANC).

“It’s not a piece of cake to be number three and to dislodge one of the biggest political parties, namely the EFF, and to a larger extent, the ANC,” Dr Breakfast said, citing KwaZulu-Natal as a clear example of the party’s electoral inroads.

Despite this success, Dr Breakfast warned that the party now stands at a crossroads. “The question now is how are they going to perform going forward. Are they going to have an upward electoral trajectory or a downward electoral trajectory? There is no in-between,” he said.

According to Dr Breakfast, the MK Party faces two major threats — internal instability and external political pressure. Internally, the party has experienced persistent leadership disputes and frequent changes in key positions, including the chief whip and senior office bearers.

“There’s no sense of stability. Decisions revolve around one person,” Dr Breakfast said, adding that the absence of a democratically elected leadership structure has intensified factional tensions.

The rapid turnover of senior figures, including former EFF co-founder Floyd Shivambu, who briefly joined the MK Party before being sidelined, has further highlighted structural weaknesses. Dr Breakfast questioned “who makes the call when it comes to the chopping and changing of leaders,” noting that this raises serious concerns about internal democracy.

Externally, the party faces stiff competition in Parliament. “It’s quite interesting because the party has dislodged the EFF from number three, yet the EFF is louder than MK in Parliament,” Dr Breakfast observed.

He also criticised the party’s focus on legal challenges and electoral disputes, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. “They were raising issues, questioning the electoral outcome, and because of that, they were outmanoeuvred,” Dr Breakfast said.

Looking ahead to the upcoming local government elections, Dr Breakfast expressed scepticism about the party’s ability to maintain its momentum. He warned that without convening a national conference to elect leaders and stabilise internal structures, the MK Party risks losing the gains it has made.

“If the party does not have a conference to elect its leaders, it might not build on what it has achieved,” Dr Breakfast said.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Mufti Yusuf Mppsagie and Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast.