Malema backs Duduzile Zuma after Jacob Zuma expels daughter from MK Party

Julius Malema has publicly backed Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla following her expulsion, saying she has faced challenges before and emerged stronger in a post shared on social media platform X.

Image: File

EFF leader Julius Malema has publicly expressed support for Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla following her expulsion from the MK Party.

Malema’s message comes after the MK Party announced the immediate expulsion of Zuma-Sambudla and Nhlamulo Ndhlela on Thursday, accusing them of conduct that undermined party discipline, deepened internal divisions within the organisation, and defied established leadership structures.

In a post on X, Malema wrote: “Nothing new, you have seen it all and still emerged victorious. I won’t ask you to be strong because I know you are strong; you have been strong since you were a young girl, dealing with adult issues.”

The MK Party said the decision followed a series of incidents involving the pair, including allegations that they participated in the transfer of late MP Muzi Ntshingila to another healthcare facility without the knowledge of his family.

Ntshingila died on 4 June at the age of 43 following a prolonged illness.

According to the party, neither Zuma-Sambudla nor Ndhlela had authority to involve themselves in matters relating to Ntshingila’s illness. It also raised concerns about the alleged removal of his personal belongings from his parliamentary residence without the knowledge of his relatives.

The MK Party said complaints from the Ntshingila family led parliamentary leader Dr John Hlophe to instruct both Zuma-Sambudla and Ndhlela not to attend funeral proceedings or make public comments about the deceased. The party alleged that these instructions were ignored.

Announcing the expulsions, the party said the conduct of both members had become “fundamentally incompatible with the values, constitutional principles and organisational interests of the movement.”

It further accused Zuma-Sambudla of repeatedly using social media and public platforms to challenge party decisions, question recognised leadership structures and expose internal matters to public scrutiny.

Responding to her expulsion, Zuma-Sambudla rejected suggestions that her role in the party could be erased.

In a series of posts on X, she insisted: “They can expel me as an ordinary member of MK but they can’t expel me from being a founding member of MK.”

She further wrote: “A Libertarian agenda cannot be hijacked by rejected politicians whose aim is to drive narrow-minded capitalist agendas. The people must decide whether they submit to politics or fight for Liberation!!! Signed: A founding member of MK.”

Zuma-Sambudla also questioned internal leadership dynamics, saying: “Why are these leaders so focused on activists as opposed to growing and uniting the liberation movement ahead of LGE?”

She added: “View from an ordinary member of MK, 2 Kings 6:29, so these leaders want President Zuma to eat his own children, and then they go home and play with theirs, protect them and keep them safe… make it make sense!!!”

In another post, she claimed: “I am the biggest project of these leaders, and one of the places they meet and discuss me and peddle lies against me is Hillcrest!!! Go deeper papa!!!”

She further accused internal figures of targeting her and undermining unity within the movement, saying: “They are not in the liberation movement for anything good! They don’t love President Zuma! They want to use our liberation movement for their own personal gain, hence attack on all accounting officers!!!”

Zuma-Sambudla also questioned why party leaders were allegedly “obsessed” with her instead of focusing on strengthening the organisation ahead of the local government elections.

In further posts, she alleged that some leaders were attempting to isolate party president Jacob Zuma, asking: “Why do these leaders continue to drive a wedge and want President Zuma isolated. Are they planning something?”

She also claimed that some individuals wanted to impose their own doctors on Zuma and that traditional healers were being brought into discussions around him.

“If anything happens to President Zuma, look around him and who wanted him isolated,” she wrote.

Zuma-Sambudla further said internal efforts to sideline her had become a central preoccupation within parts of the party.

“I have always said that anyone whose order of business when they arrive to MK is to deal with Dudu, try and erase Dudu, sideline Dudu, lie on Dudu, they are not in the liberation movement for anything good,” she wrote.

The MK Party said the expulsions were carried out under constitutional powers vested in party president Jacob Zuma and took immediate effect.

The decision strips Zuma-Sambudla and Ndhlela of all rights, privileges and authority within the organisation, intensifying scrutiny of growing internal divisions within the MK Party.

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