MK Party KZN spin doctors showdown

Durban – In a last-minute bid to woo voters and catapult its public presence, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party in KwaZulu-Natal has gone on to pull out all the stops in arranging established and experienced spin doctors to attempt toppling the ruling African National Congress (ANC) historical grip over the province and the city of Durban.

According to a source from inside the MK Party, the party’s leadership felt that it was necessary for the party to up the ante and overdose its marketing and media campaigns in the last few days leading up to elections.

“Some members of the party claim that the leadership were worried about the ANC exploiting the media owing to their historical relationship with the media, its brand positioning and vast external communication channels to lure undecided voters.

The leadership noted that the ANC spent millions of rands on its marketing campaigns, while the MK Party did not even have much posterboards on streetlight poles, let alone a significant spend on marketing. On the M4 Ruth First Highway for instance, you will find that it is painted with ANC adverts, while MK boards on streetlight poles are few and far between, so much so that they are hard to even notice them.”

A dreadful diagnosis, enter MK’s propaganda pushers with a prognosis plan.

In a media statement, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial coordinator, Simphiwe Mpungose, stated: “The provincial leadership of MK Party has set up a team made up of well-known cadres with strong credentials…the energy which this team brings to the MK Party media and communications is a game changer. They hold the MK Party in high esteem.”

This provincial team is made up of former member of parliament Gcwabaza Ndaba, who served in the National Assembly on an ANC ticket, disgraced former South African Police Service spokesperson Vincent Mdunge, and professor Thami Mkhize, a low-profile economist and political analyst.

Mdunge is rumoured to be the new head of media and communications for the MK Party nationally, replacing spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela who is said to have fallen on his sword after a fallout with Duduzile Zuma.

The source claimed that: “Only because it is days before the elections and for no other reason, party president Jacob Zuma felt that it would be disastrous to replace Ndhlela and that is why he remains in his position.”

Durban has always been the ANC’s biggest region in the country. Mindful of this, it was cumbersome on the MK Party to rope in heavyweight spin doctors for its campaigns in the city. In Durban, the party has chosen MK commander Bonginkosi “B.F” Dlamini, a philanthropist and advisor to high-ranking politicians, Gugu KaMathonsi, an outspoken unionist and former ANC branch leader, and Vedhan Singh, an international communications and diplomatic expert.

In an internal memorandum released on May 20 seen by this publication, eThekwini regional coordinator, Nhlanhla Shezi, confirmed their appointments.

“The party was doing great with its media and communications campaigns in Durban, until the leadership felt the need to turbocharge this function after a recent regional leadership shakeup. For months, the campaigns were being led by Singh who worked well but from behind the scenes. Dlamini, who is more outspoken, now leads the entire division. KaMathonsi, the former regional training officer, has now also been deployed to media and communications.

This diverse and dynamic trio have a humongous task ahead of themselves, that is, to deliver Durban for the MK Party, and knock the ANC off the city’s throne, they simply have to win eThekwini for the MK Party using what they know best: marketing, media and communications.” said the source, who did not want to named for fear of reprisal.

The source also added that only after Zuma himself gave the go-ahead for the provincial and regional appointments, were these propaganda pushers and Zuma loyalists appointed. “Little to their knowledge, they were also subjected to top secret background checks and security clearance.

The MK Party cannot have more and more incidents of infiltration and sabotage; it has learnt from its past mistakes.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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