Sacked MPs want MK party and Zuma bank accounts added

Ten suspended MK party MPs have applied to the Pretoria High Court for an urgent order to seize bank accounts in the name of the party and its leader Jacob Zuma.

This is to prevent the defendants from disposing of any funds before the launch of a second court application that MPs plan to make for compensation after their party memberships ended immediately after being sworn in as MPs in June following national elections in May. .

The urgent appeal coincided with the resignation of Sifiso Maseko, the general secretary of the MK party. Maseko was previously fired from the same position to make way for Arthur Zwane, until Zuma changed his mind and reinstated him.

Former MK MPs claim they deposited money into Zuma’s bank account

While in parliament, MPs were encouraged to pay part of their parliamentary salaries into Zuma’s Capitec bank account; some MPs did so “as a sign of loyalty and on the basis that he would use the money to run the party democratically”. interim constitution (of the MK party),” according to the founding statement of dismissed MP Thamsanqa Khuzwayo.

Khuzwayo said the funds paid into Zuma’s bank account, as well as other funds paid into party bank accounts by MPs, were “used in a manner inconsistent with the purposes for which we and the public were informed before the payments were made”. .

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“As a result of Mr Zuma’s decisions, (dismissed MPs) and our dependents have been left destitute. “We would not be in this financial situation if Mr. Zuma’s unilateral decisions had not negatively affected us.”

MK party MPs were dismissed

The dismissed MPs say they played a role in the MK party’s success in the election, in which it won 12.3% of the national vote. They were removed from office shortly after the election, apparently to eliminate EFF members and other politicians who had been invited to join the party.

While their party memberships were terminated, the expelled MPs were informed that the MK party had an interim constitution that had not yet been approved at its congress. This interim constitution effectively allowed Zuma to appoint and dismiss MPs at his discretion; MPs claimed this violated their Constitutional rights and the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA).

All 10 say they resigned from their lucrative jobs to take up MP positions where they receive a monthly parliamentary salary of R102,000.

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On 7 August 2024, all 10 MPs received letters from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, stating that they had lost their seats in parliament after their party memberships were terminated by the party’s chief whip, Sihle Ngubane.

Court applications

In August, dismissed MPs applied for reconsideration to annul this decision, and a second application was subsequently made to ban newly replaced MPs from taking the oath. HE application rejected by Judge Savage, but is currently under appeal.

The suspended MPs are Thamsanqa Khuzwayo, Isaac Menyatso, Citron Motshegoe, Augastina Qwetha, Nomado Mgwebi, Ntombenhle Mkhize, Sydwell Masilela, France Mfiki, Senzo Dlamini and Agnes Mogotsi.

Respondents named in the case include the MK party and its leader Jacob Zuma, as well as all major banks and the SA Banking Association.

Approaching: Citizen Lawyer Simba Chitando, who represented the dismissed MPs, said for comment: “I can confirm that I was instructed by former MPs of the MK party to close various bank accounts controlled by that party for the purpose of civil litigation. “It will be done by the relevant former MPs.”

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