The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has cleared the air over its national spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
This comes after the appointment of former provincial SAPS spokesperson Vincent Mdunge as provincial spokesperson for KwaZulu-Natal, with subsequent reports suggesting that he has been axed as national spokesperson.
In a statement on Tuesday, the party’s provincial leadership refuted these claims, saying Ndhlela remains the party’s head of communication.
Mdunge’s return as a spin doctor was announced by the MKP, in a statement on Monday.
However, speculation over Mdunge’s appointment has prompted the KZN provincial leadership to issue a statement clearing the air over Ndhlela’s role in the party.
“The MK Party provincial leadership in KZN rejects with the contempt it deserves, the allegations that Mr Nhlamulo Ndhlela, the national head of communications and the MK Party spokesperson, has been relieved of his duties.
“We regard these ill-informed allegations as malicious and an attempt to sow panic and divisions among the membership and supporters of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party,” said provincial co-ordinator Simphiwe Mpungose.
As such, Mpungose said despite all the rumours and media reports suggesting that Ndhlela has been fired, it is not true.
“We want to categorically confirm that Mr Nhlamulo Ndhlela remains the MKP’s national spokesperson and head of national communications of our organisation. Any stratcom agenda will not succeed in derailing or undermining the will of the people to take back their land come May 29, 2024, by way of a two-thirds majority,” Mpungose added.
There was an outcry following the announcement of Mdunge as the MKP’S provincial spin doctor. This was due to Mdunge’s dark past over allegations that he faked his matric.
Mdunge, who was at the helm of the provincial police force as its spokesperson for more than two decades, resigned in 2013 due to the matric certificate saga.
Mdunge was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to five years in prison for this offence in 2015, but only started serving his term in 2017 after losing his appeal in the high court and also the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.
He was, however, released on parole in 2019 after serving just two years of his sentence.
After his release, Mdunge went on to get a legal matric certificate and also started a security company.
He also embarked on a journey for ex-convicts to rebuild their lives after long years of incarceration.
Additional reporting by Daily News Reporter
The Star