In a stunning reversal, the MK Party nullifies van Rooyen’s appointment and suspends senior leader John Hlophe, exposing deep internal turmoil.
JOHANNESBURG – In a move echoing a painful chapter of the past, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma has fired Des van Rooyen as the party’s parliamentary chief whip just a day after appointing him, citing an unauthorized leadership reshuffle that has plunged the party into crisis.
Van Rooyen, infamously known as the “weekend special” minister after being appointed and removed as finance minister within three days in 2015, saw history repeat itself. His appointment on Tuesday evening, which saw him replace Colleen Makhubele, was abruptly nullified by a statement from Zuma’s office on Wednesday night.
The party leadership has described the decision as “painful yet necessary,” pointing to a significant breach of internal protocol.
A Decision Taken ‘Without Consultation’
The fallout has been severe. The MK Party has suspended its deputy president and parliamentary leader, John Hlophe, for “ill-discipline.” According to the party, Hlophe single-handedly made the decision to fire Makhubele and appoint van Rooyen without consulting the party’s top leadership.
Magasela Mzobe, the MK Party’s head of presidency, acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, emphasizing Zuma’s personal regard for van Rooyen.
“You can imagine how difficult it was for the president and the leadership because beside being a leader in the MK Party, comrade Des is a father, an uncle, a husband, brother and human being, so it was not easy to take this decision,” Mzobe said.
‘The Party Had to Correct Its Processes’
Mzobe explained that the party was forced to act to uphold its internal governance, even if it made van Rooyen a “victim” of Hlophe’s actions.
“But as a cadre of the movement, he will understand… The party had to correct its processes,” Mzobe stated.
The dramatic series of events reveals deep-seated instability and a power struggle within the MK Party’s parliamentary caucus, just months after its entry into Parliament. The rapid firing of two chief whips—first Mzwanele Manyi, then Colleen Makhubele, and now the nullification of van Rooyen—points to a revolving door of leadership that threatens the party’s cohesion and effectiveness.
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