Is Makhosi Khoza joining the MK party?

Former ANC firebrand Makhosi Khoza, who is again looking for a new political home, has not ruled out teaming up with her nemesis, former president Jacob Zuma — who is the face of the newly-formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.

Khoza, who in 2017 resigned as both ANC MP and party member amid a bitter battle with the governing party’s leadership, raised eyebrows after posting a recent photograph of herself and Zuma on social media.

In 2016, Khoza led the campaign to have Zuma removed as the country’s president. At one point, she described him as a “disgrace and a dishonourable leader”.

Khoza started her own party in 2017, African Democratic Change (ADeC), but resigned less than six months later.

Some sources have now linked her to Abantu Batho Congress (ABC). ABC leader Philani Mavundla said his party would make “some announcements” this week.

In a recent FaceBook post, Khoza — who confirmed that the photograph featuring her and Zuma was authentic — did not say whether she was about to join the MK party or ABC.

“I have consulted widely. This includes former President Jacob G. Zuma, ABC President, Philani Mavundla, Gap Fixers of South Africa under the leadership of T. Buthelezi and many other political parties.” Khoza said she would be announcing her new political home next week.

In 2022, Khoza — who at the time was serving as ActionSA’s eThekwini councillor — was replaced by the partner in an acrimonious and very public split. She had accused ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba of allowing the DA in eThekwini, which at the time was in a coalition with ActionSA, to “bully” her.

ActionSA, however, had accused Khoza of voting with the ANC in the municipality, for which she was rewarded with the post of chairperson of the powerful Municipal Public Accounts Committee (Mpac). In a statement released after the outcomes of her disciplinary procedure were finalised, ActionSA said of Khoza that she had disregarded reputational damage to the party “for apparent publicity and self gain”.

“Her loyalties do not lie with ActionSA and instead, lie with aspiring to grow her own political aspirations, at the great cost of her constituency and ActionSA.”

After her stint at ActionSA, Khoza, who is also a former Msunduzi Municipality deputy mayor, ventured into business. However, she said the state in which the country was in made it difficult for her to stay out of politics.

“The majority of our native citizens remain dehumanised, linguistically excluded and stuck in poverty as perpetual objects of domination and economic discrimination. We must unite against fake white supremacy, morality, hypocrisy and corruption in all their manifestations,” she said.

A version of this story first appeared in The Witness.