Former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede Joins MK Party

African National Congress (ANC) veteran and former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede has joined the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP). The announcement was delivered by MK Party Secretary-General Sibonelo Nomvalo during a media briefing held in Durban on Monday afternoon, 13 July 2026.

Gumede was not just welcomed as an ordinary member, but was immediately thrust into the party’s upper leadership hierarchy, being named the MKP Provincial Deputy Convener for KwaZulu-Natal. Welcoming her to the party, Nomvalo cited her deeply entrenched political capital, stating that her unquestionable credentials in South African politics would bring a positive contribution to the MK Party.

Gumede is one of the most recognizable and influential political figures in Durban, having served as the Executive Mayor of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality from 2016 to 2019, and later as an ANC Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature.

Gumede’s decision to join the MK Party serves as a significant acquisition for the organization, which continues to aggressively consolidate its footprint across the province. However, her move comes against a backdrop of long-running legal challenges. Gumede remains a highly polarizing figure as she continues to battle multi-million-rand corruption, fraud, and racketeering charges linked to a Durban Solid Waste tender dating back to her tenure as mayor, charges she has consistently denied.