Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
8 March 2024 | 16:00 CAT
2 min read

Fear grips voters in KwaZulu-Natal as conflict escalates between Jacob Zuma’s MK party and ANC supporters, sparking concerns of violence in the months leading up to the national elections.

The conflict has spread to Mpumalanga, where MK Party supporters attempted to disrupt the Mpumalanga Presidential Imbiso ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit.

The IEC has issued warnings to the MK Party following threats of violence and attacks by Zuma loyalists if the party is excluded from the ballot.

With tensions running high, the possibility of serious violence erupting, especially in KZN, remains a pressing concern. Radio Islam delved into the potential risks and sought insight from Professor Bheki Mngomezulu.

“We have to learn from previous experiences. Even the 2021 July riots could have been easily avoided. People took it lightly, but now we have a point of reference for saying we don’t want a repeat. Now we have this squabble between the MK Party and the ANC, and if we don’t sort it out now, we might find ourselves in the same situation, which will be a disgrace given our experience,” he said.

Mngomezulu emphasised that the IEC’s involvement is irrelevant in this instance; the matter at hand pertains solely to the dispute between the MK party and the ANC.

“The problem is that the ANC decided to take the MK party to the electoral court. In this case, the IEC’s hands are tied because when uMkhonto we Sizwe party availed itself and formally registered, the IEC did what it was supposed to do, and registered the MK Party,” he added.

The ANC has resorted to legal action seeking the deregistration of the MK party and to prevent its use of imagery resembling that of the ruling party.

The ANC initiated legal proceedings against the MK Party over a logo dispute, but the court hearing has been postponed until 27 March. The MK Party alleges that the postponement is a result of the ANC’s purported failure to submit the required court documents.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Political Science Professor Bheki Mngomezulu, here.