Johannesburg – Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, a prominent member of the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, has issued a public apology following a social media rant against the party's secretary-general, Floyd Shivambu. However, conspicuously absent from her apology is any direct acknowledgement or remorse towards Shivambu himself.
The apology comes after Zuma-Sambudla faced the threat of expulsion from the MK party, issued by her father, party leader Jacob Zuma. Zuma gave his daughter the ultimatum: apologise for her behaviour or face immediate termination of her membership and removal from all party responsibilities.
In a statement shared in the early hours of the morning, Zuma said if his daughter failed to comply with the directive, there would be immediate consequences, including the summary termination of her membership with the MK Party and that she would be recalled from all party responsibilities.
Faced with expulsion, Zuma-Sambudla released an apology letter, stating: “As a committed and disciplined member of the uMkhonto Wesizwe party, I hereby extend this unconditional public apology to President Zuma and uMkhonto Wesizwe Party leadership for the profanity used in my recent posts on X."
She also apologised for swearing in the tweets. "While I hold strong and personal views, including serious concerns about internal party matters, my perceptions of how certain issues may be handled within the organisation, especially by the party's secretary-general, I fully recognise that such concerns should have been, and shall be, addressed through the proper internal channels, as dictated by the core values and principles of the glorious movement of the people. I acknowledge that expressing these grievances publicly was unfortunate and may have undermined the unity, discipline and respect that defines the MK Party," the letter read.
Zuma-Sambudla recognised that expressing her grievances publicly was regrettable and could have undermined the unity, discipline, and respect fundamental to the MK party.
“My profanity was not and should not be a reflection of the revolutionary discipline, respect, and solidarity that our organisation, under the esteemed leadership of President Jacob Zuma, upholds," she said.
She continued, "To President Jacob Zuma of the MK Party, the entire leadership, members, supporters of the MKP, and the people of South Africa, I wish to assure you that I never intended to harm the integrity of the party or the values it upholds. Hence, my deepest apology for any offence caused in this regard.
"Furthermore, I offer formal apologies to all the structures I serve in whose roles and responsibilities I carry with the utmost humility and commitment. I hope my apology is received in the spirit of accountability, revolutionary solidarity and a genuine commitment to upholding the values of the MK Party."
Zuma-Sambudla also said that she was prepared to cooperate with any internal processes deemed necessary by the party.
Despite being ordered by her father to apologise not only to him, the party leadership, and supporters, but also to Shivambu, there is no direct apology to the party's secretary-general anywhere in the letter.
This omission has raised eyebrows and fuelled speculation about the true nature of the rift between Zuma-Sambudla and Shivambu, and whether the apology is a genuine attempt at reconciliation or simply a strategic move to avoid expulsion from the MK party.
