Former EFF chairman, lawyer Dali Mpofu, is confident that the uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MK) will survive the test of time.
He has tried to dispel the idea that the official opposition is a regional party that appeals mainly to voters in KwaZulu-Natal and that it will not outlive its leader, former president Jacob Zuma.
The party wants to expand its base to other provinces.
After winning in KwaZulu-Natal and doing well in Mpumalanga and Gauteng in the May elections, the party is now trying to gain a foothold in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape.
Mpofu defended the party during a exclusive interview with SABC News about his decision to join the MK party.
“So the base of uMkhonto we Sizwe is clearly in KZN for obvious reasons. We cannot run away from the fact that former President Zuma, the person whose brainchild it was, comes from, has always had a large base – even the ANC has exploited that base. But one thing that former President Zuma was always adamant about is that he doesn’t want an ethnic party, he doesn’t want a sole party. That’s why the announcement was on December 16, and I was part of that planning in Gauteng. That is why the launch of the manifesto was deliberately done in Gauteng.”
Meanwhile, Mpofu says he has not yet passed on the news of his departure from the EFF to its leader, Julius Malema.
Malema has on several occasions emphasized the importance of loyalty and brotherhood in public engagements.
However, Mpofu emphasizes that this step is not against the leader of the Red Berets, but for the people of South Africa.
Mpofu: “No, I shouldn’t be honest and I tried to contact him, but there is no need to inform anyone at any time. there is no bad blood. we will talk.”
Mbeje: “Out of politeness?”
Mpofu: “Yes, as a courtesy, I will extend that courtesy even after this announcement, and I am sure our paths will meet on this difficult journey towards unity. There’s nothing personal about it at all. It is not something that is done against a specific person. It’s something I do for my people.”