Zuma’s secretary warns of MKP split over Shivambu’s ‘celebrity’ chaos and Zuma-Sambudla’s whispers

“There's a real possibility that there will be a breakaway party soon from the MK party.” That is the warning from Isaac Leshona, former President Jacob Zuma’s private secretary. Leshona says Secretary General Floyd Shivambu is facing “a lot” of animosity. “He came in as a celebrity, unfortunately, and it's proving to be detrimental in the party as well as for him. Now he's facing resistance.” Leshona says Shivambu’s arrival meant that there were also people coming in from the EFF whom he promoted over and above people who'd been working the ground in provinces as well as in regions. He calls MKP’s poor performance in a recent by-election (down from 54% to 19%) an indictment of the SG. He also slams Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla for taking “advantage of her proximity to the President to whisper sometimes untruths into his ear and also to sideline….comrades whom she doesn't like”. As for the performance of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Leshona says: “Nothing will happen if we still pussyfoot around issues of corruption. We still have corrupt ministers. We still have corrupt ANC National Executive Committee members at the forefront of things. So until the ANC takes a hard stance against corruption, nothing will change.”