What is happening over there at the MK party?

CapeTalk's Clarence Ford is joined by political analyst Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast.

Listen below:

Less than six months after he took up the position, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has removed chief whip Mzwanele Manyi.

Manyi is now the second chief whip of the party to be unceremoniously removed since it joined Parliament as the official opposition.

Manyi joined the MK Party after leaving the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). 

Party newcomer, Colleen Makhubele replaces him - she was introduced by the Speaker during Tuesday’s sitting.

RELATED: Mzwanele Manyi leaves EFF for MK: ‘They can reclaim SA from imperialists’

Breakfast wonders whether such decisions are being made by committee or unilaterally, and suggests that while the party enjoyed success in the 2024 elections, it has a number of problems.

"One of them is lack of democracy."

- Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Political Analyst

Referring to Manyi's sudden removal, he wonders where the authority came from for such a move.

"The question that begs is, who made that call?"

- Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Political Analyst

He suggests that it is largely in founder and former South African president Jacob Zuma that most of the decision-making (and hiring and firing) power is vested.

"The structure that runs the party was constituted, in my view, by Msholozi."

- Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Political Analyst

The overarching question such a modus operandi leads to, is who you account to, says Breakfast.

"Zuma makes these decisions unilaterally, in my view."

- Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Political Analyst

This ultimately poses a threat to the party, he suggests.

"Because what is democracy... when leaders cannot account somewhere, it becomes a problem."

- Prof. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Political Analyst

RELATED: MK Party: Mzwanele Manyi explains what really happened between John Hlophe and him

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.