By Johnathan Paoli
The Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party held a mini-rally event at the Mpumalanga stadium in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday, notably without the presence of party leader Jacob Zuma.
Initial reports have suggested that there was double booking and Zuma was due to appear at another rally in the Western Cape, but this could not be confirmed.
Yet despite the absence of Zuma and delays in the start, things got off the ground to a upbeat crowd with short addresses frurrentom party leaders.
MK leader Visvin Reddy, speaking at the start, said today’s event was not a rally, but rather a “meet and greet”, and that people had gathered to meet the party leadership.
“Do not judge a party’s success by how much we can fill up a stadium, because today we have learnt that political parties pay people to come to their stadium,” Reddy said.
MK has made inroads into the political landscape of the province, with some calling their emergence, a potential threat to the ANC, EFF and DA – chipping away at the their current electoral support bases.
The party repeated its claim that it would get a two-third majority victory in the elections. MK supporters came out in their numbers, expressing hope that the would address issues of service delivery and ownership of land.
Party leaders said the Constitutional court ruling, which bared Zuma from running for office has not adversely affected morale and their hopes at winning.
“President Jacob Zuma will remain the face and the president of Umkhonto Wesizwe. He is the force behind this party. He drives this political party, he drives this movement. So that decision by the captured court does not bother us. We are going for the two thirds majority, it on the horizon Wednesday it’s going to happen,” Reddy said.
The party is expected to bring it’s campaign to a close over the weekend.
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