In a stunning turn of events, former president Thabo Mbeki’s recent comments about the state of South African politics have reignited fierce debate.

Speaking to a group of liberation struggle veterans, Mbeki labeled the recent political turmoil and discontent within the ANC as a product of a “counter-revolutionary” movement engineered by remnants of the apartheid-era security apparatus.

His theory was met with swift and sharp rebuttals from the MK party, whose spokesperson, Lamelon Nela, accused Mbeki of intellectual dishonesty and claimed that his analysis ignored the real causes of disillusionment among South Africa’s electorate.

The tension between Mbeki and the MK party has exposed deeper fractures within South African politics, particularly regarding the legitimacy of the ANC and its struggle to hold onto voter support.

The ANC has long prided itself on being the party of liberation, but in the 2024 elections, a large portion of its support base turned away, particularly in key provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga.

What Mbeki framed as a “counter-revolution” is being seen by the MK party and many of its supporters as a legitimate shift away from a party that has failed to deliver on the promises of equality, economic opportunity, and infrastructure improvements.

At the heart of this disagreement is the MK party’s claim that Mbeki’s narrative dismisses the very real frustrations of the South African people, especially the black working class, who have long suffered from stagnant unemployment rates, extreme inequality, and the unresolved issue of land dispossession.

For the MK party, the anger surrounding Jacob Zuma’s imprisonment and the 2021 civil unrest are not signs of manipulation or external sabotage, but rather the culmination of years of neglect and frustration with the ANC’s failure to address the most pressing issues facing the country.

The MK party’s anger has been further fueled by Mbeki’s accusations against communities in KwaZulu-Natal, historically loyal to the IFP, who have recently shown signs of shifting political allegiance to the MK party.

Mbeki’s portrayal of these communities as pawns in a larger political game, driven by counter-revolutionary forces, has been branded as offensive and patronizing by MK leaders, who argue that these communities are simply exercising their right to change political affiliations in response to unmet needs.

The MK military veterans association (MKMVA), led by Feloni Simi Kobiki, took the battle to another level, accusing Mbeki of using dangerous rhetoric that could incite violence and fracture the unity of the liberation movement.

Kobiki argued that Mbeki’s comments were a direct attack on the integrity of MK veterans and could further divide the movement at a time when the nation is already struggling with deepening political polarization.

What followed was an explosive accusation from Kobiki, who claimed that Mbeki’s statements amounted to a public invitation for the assassination of Jacob Zuma, arguing that the rhetoric surrounding the ANC’s decline could justify violent action against political opponents.

While the accusation was extreme, it resonated with those who remember the bloodshed of the transition years when political figures were targeted by opposing factions.

In the midst of this escalating political crisis, the question of who truly controls the narrative of South Africa’s liberation is coming to the forefront.

The ANC’s insistence on treating the MK party as a splinter movement undermines the legitimacy of those who, for millions of South Africans, represent an alternative to the ANC’s increasingly disconnected leadership.

The MK party argues that its rise is not based on manipulation but rather on a genuine connection to the struggles of the people.

The ANC’s refusal to acknowledge the real reasons behind the erosion of its support only exacerbates the situation, risking further alienating the very people it was once supposed to represent.

Mbeki’s own comments about the MK party, though politically charged, also come at a time when South Africa is witnessing unprecedented electoral shifts.

For the first time since the 1994 transition, millions of South Africans are walking away from the ANC.

This has forced the ruling party to confront the reality that it can no longer take voter loyalty for granted.

The MK party’s response to Mbeki has been to challenge the narrative that their growth is part of a counter-revolution.

Nela emphasized that the MK party’s rise is grounded in reality, not in manipulation, and that the party is simply offering an alternative to the stagnant and corrupt system that the ANC has perpetuated.

However, for Mbeki and his supporters, this challenge is seen as an affront to the legitimacy of their years of leadership.

At the heart of the conflict is the MK party’s claim that Mbeki is refusing to confront the very real political and social issues that have fueled disillusionment among South Africa’s disenfranchised.

Instead, Mbeki is framing the political crisis as the result of external, counter-revolutionary forces, rather than accepting responsibility for the failures within the ANC itself.

This is where the tension between the ANC and the MK party deepens.

The MK party views itself as the true continuation of the liberation struggle, while Mbeki and his supporters insist that the ANC remains the rightful heir to the liberation narrative.

This divide is not just about politics; it’s about identity, history, and the legacy of the struggle against apartheid.

The recent comments from Mbeki and the MK party’s rebuttal mark a defining moment in South Africa’s political landscape.

Mbeki’s remarks about the MK party and its rise are not just about political positioning; they are about who gets to tell the story of South Africa’s liberation and what that story means for the future of the country.

For the MK party, the ANC’s continued dominance is a betrayal of the promises made during the struggle, and their rise is a necessary corrective.

This political battle is more than just a difference of opinion; it represents the fault lines that run deep through South Africa’s political system.

The MK party’s growth is a direct challenge to the ANC’s continued relevance, and the stakes are high as the country grapples with a future that seems increasingly uncertain.