The appointment of Jacob Zuma’s lesser-known daughter to replace his prominent daughter Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla in parliament might be used by internal factionalists to divide the Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP), said party leaders. 

However, the party leaders, who are not authorised to speak to the media, expressed their support for the appointment of Brumelda Zuma as an MP. 

However, political analysts felt that instead of appointing Brumelda, Zuma should have picked from politically experienced party members.

Brumelda was appointed to parliament after Zuma-Sambudla resigned from all the activities of the party, including representing it in parliament, following allegations that she participated in getting a group of South African men, who included his relatives, to go to Russia for security training, but ended up being forced to join the army fighting against the Ukrainian army on the Ukrainian ground.

Criminal charges have since been laid against Zuma-Sambudla.  

In a leaked letter, which is dated November 2, 2025, MKP secretary general Dr Bongani Mncwango told the party’s parliamentary chief whip, Colleen Makhubele, that the party’s national officials had resolved to deploy new party members, including Brumelda, to parliament.

The letter was internal correspondence, but ended up circulating on social media.

One party leader said Brumelda is a political activist who was active in an ANC branch in Inkandla before her father was fired from the ANC. 

“She (Brumelda) has university qualifications and was an active ANC Youth League branch activist.

“Therefore, there is nothing wrong about her deployment to parliament,” said the leader.  

When contacted to explain why Brumelda was chosen for deployment to parliament, MKP spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlhela said: “Unfortunately, I cannot comment on leaked letters; even then, it is not MK protocol to discuss nominees/candidates who aren’t sworn in.” 

Brumelda also declined to comment on her deployment. 

In a media alert, released on December 7, Makhubele announced that Brumelda, Bongani Mkhongi, Pumlani Kubukeli, and Makhosazana Radebe would be sworn in at Speaker Thoko Didiza’s boardroom in parliament on December 10. 

He said they would bring a wealth of experience and dedication to the MKP and the National Assembly because of their political contributions. 

“The uMkhonto WeSizwe Party remains committed to ensuring effective representation and advancing the interests of all South Africans,” read Makhulele’s statement. 

The MKP has gone to great lengths to promote Brumelda through social media.

A post by MK Party Stan@XFactor079 on X described Brumelda as a committed public servant who had a degree in Public Administration. 

The post said her political journey started with student politics, branch-level leadership, and the youth mobilisation with a strengthened passion for serving the people of South Africa. 

“She values a deep understanding of government and legislative systems as a key to delivering people-centered services.

“Brumelda has developed strong communication, interpersonal, teamwork, time management, and adaptability skills.

“As a solution-driven leader, she is dedicated to contributing to initiatives that uplift communities-especially vulnerable and marginalised groups,”  read the post.

It also described her as “Young and Beautiful, Experience in Student, Branch level politics and Umntana Ka Baba (father’s child).

Pictures of her wearing ANC regalia have also been posted to prove her political background.  

However, University of KwaZulu-Natal political analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu, described this appointment as “the blunder of the highest form”. 

Ndlovu alleged that this appointment was made by none other than Zuma, reducing the party to his family’s spaza shop. 

“You cannot make this (MKP) a family thing because after removing Duduzile, only to replace her with her sister, and now in the minds of people it looks like he (Zuma) is making this a family thing,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu said it would have been better if Zuma had left his family members out of MKP positions and filled the positions with people who were removed from parliament after the general election. 

“Now she is in parliament, earning an income from the taxpayers’ money based on being Zuma’s daughter,”  said Ndlovu. 

Another political analyst, Susan Booysen, said the MKP acted “way out of line with what we usually expect from political parties.” 

“This appointment is to build the Zuma brand, as we don’t know whether the new daughter is going to bring embarrassment in due course.

“It is explanatory to the notion of the MKP being at heart a family enterprise,”  said Booysen. 

bongani.hans@inl.co.za

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