Zwane was arrested and charged with shooting and killing a security guard who tried to force him to use hand sanitizer during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. File photo
The Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has reinstated former secretary-general Arthur Zwane with immediate effect after party leader Jacob Zuma refused to step down.
Zwane resigned last week, citing an inability to balance the demands of the job with his personal commitments, and the party appointed Sifiso Maseko as his successor.
MK party spokesman Nhlamhlo Ndlela said Maseko, who took over from Zwane, had been redeployed to the human resources department “to strengthen internal capital”.
“Given the tumultuous times our country is currently experiencing under the current DANC; [Democratic Alliance/ANC] “With the coalition government and all South Africans looking to the MK Party for leadership, it is more important than ever that we maintain strong capability, unity and continuity within our ranks,” Ndlela said.
“The President and the Secretary-General met recently to finalise the details of Comrade Zwane's return to duty. As a result, Comrade Arthur Zwane will return to duty with immediate effect,” Ndlela said in a statement on Thursday.
Ndlela called on party leaders, members and organisations to support the party in building a “strong and resilient organisation that can protect and build on” the gains made so far that the DA/ANC coalition is seen as trying to roll back.
“As the official opposition we face an unprecedented challenge. Unlike other official opposition parties since 1994, we represent the poor and downtrodden and must hold this immoral and anti-black DANC coalition accountable for its aims to reverse the gains made so far,” Ndlela said.
Zwane took up the role when former secretary-general Sihle Ngubane resigned to become an MP under party directive that MPs cannot hold national executive committee positions.
Ngubane replaced Tanduksoro “Gorbachev” Diyod, who was sacked after a series of “administrative concerns” within the party.
Prior to joining the MK party, Zwane was a prominent ANC member in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
Zwane was arrested and charged with shooting and killing a security guard who tried to force him to use hand sanitizer in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Soon after Zwane's resignation, Zuma summarily fired the party's general treasurer, Danisa Zulu, without reason, and appointed Menzi Magubane as his replacement.
Ndlela said the main reason for bringing Zwane back was that the party's founding “HUVO” (strategy workshop) in Bela-Bela outlined vital issues that were essential to prepare the party for future challenges.
In particular, there was a need to “strengthen the organisational structure in preparation for the local elections in 2026 and beyond.”
He said Maseko would be transferred to the party's Human Resources department and would be tasked with strengthening the party's administration, particularly in setting up organisations and offices across the country.
Ndlela said the party expected Zwane to continue contributing to building a “strong, vibrant and resilient” MK party and Maseko to “play a key role in strengthening the party's human resources department”.