The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Wednesday passed the Division of Revenue Bill with 65 members voting in favour, six against, and no abstentions, but the vote has exposed a growing rift within the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP).

This afte five of its provincial legislature members (MPLs) voted against the Bill, in defiance of their own newly appointed Caucus Chief Whip, Bonginkosi Mngadi, who supported it.

The Bill, which outlines how national revenue is shared among all three spheres of government for the 2025/26 financial year, was debated during a virtual special sitting presided over by KZN Legislature Speaker, Nontembeko Boyce.

When asked to cast the party vote, Chief Whip Mngadi stated: “For reasons of transparency and accountability to the public, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, the MK Party supports the DORA Bill for 2025.”

However, when Boyce opened the floor for members to express individual votes differing from their party’s position, one MKP member Mervyn Dirks who is the former Chief Whip said: “Speaker, I vote against this Bill, in line with the position of MK in the National Assembly and the NCOP.”

“The votes in favour: 65. Votes against: six. Abstentions: none” declared Boyce at the close of the vote.

Of the six votes against the Bill, one came from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Thobile Nkosi, while five were registered by MK Party MPLs: Patience Gamede, Mervyn Dirks, Professor Mbatha, S’thembiso Magubane, and Bongumusa Mkhize.

Speaking to IOL, Dirks justified his vote, saying: “Division of Revenue Bill B15 of 2025 is a bill that was presented by the Minister of Finance in Parliament. MKP in the National Assembly voted against the Bill.

”The Bill was then sent to the NCOP. Again, MKP in the NCOP voted against this. The same Bill gets referred to provinces. As MKP, I voted against the Bill in line with the MKP position in the National Assembly and in the NCOP.”

When asked about the Chief Whip’s vote in favour of the Bill, Dirks said: “I have no comment.”

He also declined to comment on whether the party intends to take disciplinary action or investigate the Chief Whip’s break from the national party line.

MKP Member of Parliament Brian Molefe also confirmed that the party officially opposed the DORA Bill during the vote in the National Assembly.

“We in the National Assembly voted against the Bill,” Molefe said.

However, when asked about the apparent contradiction in KwaZulu-Natal, where MKP Chief Whip Mngadi supported the Bill, while five other party MPLs voted against it,  Molefe distanced the national leadership from the provincial developments.

“I don’t know about what happened in KZN,” he said.

Dirks, a former ANC Member of Parliament who joined the MK Party in early 2024 , was appointed Chief Whip of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in January 2025, taking over from the suspended Kwazi Mbanjwa.

He has since been removed from that position.

Dirks, however, maintains he was never formally informed of his dismissal.

“I think that you should seek clarity on this matter from the MK national spokesperson or President Zuma,” he told IOL, adding that he had not received any official communication from the party.

The circumstances surrounding his removal remain unclear, contributing to growing perceptions of disarray and a lack of transparency within MKP, where leadership decisions often appear to be made without consultation or formal notice.

This defiance is not happening in isolation. It mirrors a broader crisis of leadership and coherence within the MK Party nationally, where disputes over authority, ideology, and loyalty are playing out.

At the heart of the parliamentary turmoil is the newly appointed Chief Whip, Colleen Makhubele, whose leadership has been fiercely contested by segments of the MKP caucus.

A group of MPs recently penned a letter to party president Jacob Zuma, accusing Makhubele of making unilateral and undemocratic decisions, betraying party ideology — particularly in relation to her stance on Israel—  and demonstrating poor leadership.

The letter starkly warned that Makhubele’s leadership threatened party unity, and described her as a “political novice and newcomer.”

The discontent over Makhubele’s appointment comes on the heels of other leadership crises within the party. Mzwanele Manyi, the previous Chief Whip, was abruptly removed amid accusations of arrogance and failing to represent the caucus effectively.

His removal was confirmed by MKP deputy chief whip Muzi Ntshingila, who announced Makhubele’s appointment in internal party WhatsApp groups, saying: “We are pleased to announce that Hon. Colleen Makhubele has been appointed as the new chief whip of the MK Party. We are confident that she will lead with strength and vision as we continue to advance our collective mission.”

Before that, the MK Party had already been rocked by the removal of former secretary-general Floyd Shivambu, who was accused of misconduct, including an unauthorised trip to Malawi to meet fugitive pastor Shepherd Bushiri.

Although initially expected to represent the party in Parliament, his name was later omitted from the final list of sworn-in MPs.

Despite his close ties to Jacob Zuma, Shivambu’s rapid rise from national organiser to secretary-general was met with internal resistance. His leadership was dogged by infighting, which ultimately led to his removal. Shivambu has since announced plans to start his own political party.

IOL reached out to Mngadi for comment. Calls were made and a WhatsApp message was sent, but no response had been received by the time of publication.

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za 

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