South Africa’s Political Shift: MK Party MPs End Boycott and Take Oath

The 58 Members of Parliament from Jacob Zuma’s MK party have recently completed their swearing-in ceremony at the National Assembly, following the official event by ten days.

Despite their ongoing disagreement with the election outcome, they have opted to align with the opposition as efforts are underway to establish a broad national unity government.

Prominent figures critical of President Ramaphosa, such as Duduzile Zuma, the daughter of former President Jacob Zuma, and former judge John Hlophe, have now assumed their positions in Parliament. Despite the MK party’s stance on abolishing the Constitution, its MPs have pledged to uphold it. John Hlophe, now serving as the opposition leader, stressed, “We are not troublemakers.”

It is anticipated that the MK party will form an alliance with Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), resulting in a total of 100 seats.

This number pales in comparison to the government coalition’s strength, which commands more than two-thirds of the 400 seats. Nevertheless, the coalition has yet to establish a government one week after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration, indicating a potential instability that the opposition is hoping will lead to a swift collapse.