MK party to finally hold conference as it prepares for elections

2026-03-25 - 14:30

uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party secretary-general Sibonelo Nomvalo said on Wednesday that the party will hold a policy conference in June and will establish election structures on the ground ahead of the local government polls. The MK party has been criticised for its unclear policies since its foundation in December 2023, including its plans for the future without Jacob Zuma. But Nomvalo told the media and party supporters in Johannesburg on Wednesday that the party will go to the local government elections with a clear policy framework. “These steps are aimed at stabilising the organisation and preparing it for a decisive electoral victory in the 2026 local government elections,” he said. Nomvalo said the policy conference will help the party to improve its resolve and tactical strength regarding policy certainty. Despite the party planning an policy conference they are yet to have an elective conference. “This conference will provide a clear and coherent policy framework, guide public representatives and members,” he said. He said the policy conference will also strengthen ideological unity within the movement. The party will also develop what it describes as a capable election machinery. MK party to focus on campaigning He said this means the organisation will direct its full energy and resources towards electoral mobilisation and campaigning. Party structures will also be streamlined to prioritise community engagement and voter mobilisation. “The operationally devolved election machinery will activate direct voter contact, identify key developmental challenges and seek guidance from our masses in resolving these problems. “This approach is designed not only to win the upcoming local government elections, but to unite the organisation around a common national purpose of reclaiming the pride and dignity of our people, restore confidence in public institutions and build an economy that is self-reliant and globally competitive,” he said. Matters of concern Nomvalo said the party is concerned about several issues affecting the country, these include economic inequality, unemployment, especially among the youth, a crisis of governance and state capacity, growing social instability and the water crisis. The MK party will be contesting its first local government elections. It made a huge impact in the 2024 national elections, gaining 15% of the vote and reducing the ANC’s numbers to just 40%. NOW READ: Court blocks Eastern Cape ANC conference amid internal disputes