Zuma’s MK Party marred by allegations of fraud and a leadership purge

JOHANNESBURG - With a month until South Africans hit the polls, former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has been marred by allegations of fraud and a leadership purge. 

This followed claims of fraud by Lennox Ntsodo, a former senior official of the party, alleging that according to the City Press, that the party forged signatures that would see it registered to appear on the 2024 ballot. 

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According to the law, political parties had to obtain and submit at least 15,000 signatures of members and supporters to register for the 2024 polls and appear on the ballot. 

These damning allegations also come as the party removed its co-founder Jabulani Khumalo and four other senior figures from its leadership structure over allegations of suspicious dealings with the African National Congress (ANC). 

Ntsodo reportedly told Western Cape police in a statement that the mass forgery of the signatures was achieved by a team of 20 people who he appointed. 

The team allegedly obtained names, ID numbers, and cellphone numbers of job seekers from a database of the Cape Metro Council fraudulently.

Although Ntsodo didn't mention the origin of the job seekers information, Rapport stated that they determined it belonged to the Cape Metro Council. 

The City Press added that some people on the supporter list denied signing, and some confirmed that they registered on the job seeker database. 

In his affidavit, Ntsodo alleged that they compiled the lists at the house of MK Party Secretary General in Western Cape and South Africa's former ambassador to Qatar, Faizel Moosa. 

He reportedly further alleged that they reported the team's daily progress to MK Party Western Cape chairperson Fumanekile Booi. 

Moosa and Booi both denied the allegations.