Members of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s parliamentary caucus are calling for a forensic investigation into approximately R70 million in parliamentary funds that they allege has gone missing. The funds were meant to establish constituency offices for the party’s 58 MPs and five NCOP members.
According to sources, Parliament allocates about R6.3 million monthly to the MK Party for constituency offices. However, MPs claim these offices have not been established since the party entered Parliament last year, leaving R70 million unaccounted for. Concerns were raised during a caucus meeting last week where members resolved to formally request party president Jacob Zuma to institute a forensic audit.
The controversy has triggered internal disputes, including the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of MK parliamentary caucus leader Vanessa Calvert. Calvert denies any involvement with the funds, stating she deals with administrative duties, not financial management. She claims her suspension was unrelated to financial matters and that she was never formally charged.
This isn’t the first time financial management concerns have been raised within the party. Former secretary general Floyd Shivambu previously alleged that R7 million was being mismanaged monthly. Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela denied knowledge of missing funds, stating the party has passed all parliamentary audits and that constituency offices are being rolled out as planned.
The situation highlights ongoing internal tensions within the MK Party regarding financial management and leadership decisions, even as the party seeks to establish itself in South Africa’s political landscape.