Cash crisis threatens MK Party election campaign
South Africa's MK Party is facing a financial crisis and internal disputes regarding the selection of councillor candidates ahead of upcoming local government elections. Party insiders report that these issues threaten the effectiveness of their campaign and have caused significant unrest among regional branches.
Why it matters
As a major political force in South Africa, the MK Party's internal stability and financial health directly impact the country's political landscape and election outcomes.
The MK Party, which helped inflict a historic defeat on the ANC in the 2024 elections, is facing a financial crisis that insiders fear could leave it unable to hold the high-profile manifesto launch it had planned for this year’s local government elections.
The party, which emerged as the country’s third-largest political force in the 2024 elections, is also battling an escalating internal crisis over the selection of councillor candidates, with complaints about the lists submitted to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) now under investigation.
Three senior party insiders told the Sunday Times that the problems had raised questions about the MK Party’s ability to run an effective campaign ahead of the November 4 elections.
The party is expected to perform strongly in KwaZulu-Natal, with some polls projecting that it could take outright control of the eThekwini metro.
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