By Zohra Teke
The MK Party is pursuing legal advice following FirstRand's warning of MK protest action, which the party describes as 'unfounded panic mongering.'
"We reject with contempt this speculation and inference that the MK party is a violent organisation that is undisciplined and will resort to violence if things don't go their way. We've acted on the contrary. We've been burying many of our members who were killed mysteriously, we've continuously cautioned our members to maintain discipline even after the adverse judgement against our president. Even after many of our events were sabotaged, and even after FNB closed President Zuma's account, we remained disciplined," MKP Elections Head Muzi Ntshingila told IOL.
The FirstRand memo was sent internally to its group and to other companies including Wesbank and First National Bank earlier this week and cites possible protest action following the Constitutional Court judgment barring former President Jacob Zuma from contesting the elections. His face will still appear on the ballot as leader of MKP. In a rare show of agreement, the ANC in KZN also rejected the warning of violence, saying the memo itself could encourage rather than deter violence. Following the outcry, FirstRand has since tried to backpedal, saying it was merely a normal risk assessment. But MK is not having it.
"We are questioning the timing of their statement. It was leaked or released just when there is strong support of MK according to election predictions and shows our party leading in KZN. So why have they come out now? We know there is a strong push to portray MKP as a party of violent delinquents who were responsible for the previous riots and all that. We are sensitive to those allegations, which is why we always caution our members not to act in any way, which will feed into that perception. Yet we are accused of being violent without any proof. Just hearsay and speculation," added Ntshingila.
Latest polls show the MKP emerging as the country's third-largest political party. This, despite it being only six months old and beset with internal and legal challenges.
But with days to go before the polls, tensions are high and the mood across the country depressed. An unknown future post-elections has left many feeling apprehensive and uncertain. The pre-election jitters are being felt, with those in the business sector reporting slower than usual spending from consumers.
*The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of IOL or Independent Media