The MK Party has lodged a formal complaint with Parliament’s Ethics Committee, accusing President Cyril Ramaphosa and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen of serious misconduct during an official state visit to the White House earlier this year.
The complaint stems from comments made by Steenhuisen during a meeting in the Oval Office with then-United States President Donald Trump. The MK Party alleges that Steenhuisen exploited the international diplomatic engagement to promote the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s political agenda, in violation of the principles that guide official government business.
According to the MK Party, the trip was intended to address critical diplomatic issues between South Africa and the United States. However, they argue that Steenhuisen’s controversial remarks about opposition parties—particularly the MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)—turned the high-level engagement into a political spectacle.
MK Party Lodges Accusations of Political Exploitation
The MK Party’s complaint centers on statements made by Steenhuisen to President Trump. In the Oval Office, Trump played a video showing EFF leader Julius Malema singing the controversial “Kill the Farmer” song. Steenhuisen responded by saying:
“The two individuals that are in that video are both leaders of opposition minorities in South Africa. uMkhonto weSizwe, under Jacob Zuma, and Economic Freedom Fighters, under Julius Malema.
The reason that my party, which has been an opposition party, chose to join hands with M. Ramaphosa’s party was precisely to keep those people out of power. We cannot have those people sitting at the Union Buildings and making decisions.”
These remarks, according to the MK Party, were made without parliamentary authority and had no basis in constitutional protocol. MK Party Member of Parliament Mzwanele Manyi argued that Steenhuisen’s statements breached Section 2 of Parliament’s Code of Ethical Conduct, which obligates MPs to carry out their duties with honesty, integrity, and diligence.
Not only has the MK Party lodged a complaint against John Steenhuisen, but they have also implicated President Cyril Ramaphosa. The party accuses the president of failing to challenge or correct Steenhuisen’s statements during the White House engagement.
The MK Party asserts that the president’s silence amounted to tacit approval, thereby compromising the integrity of the South African delegation and undermining democratic plurality.
“President Ramaphosa, as the head of the delegation, had a duty to set the record straight when Steenhuisen went off script,” said Manyi. “His failure to do so implies complicity.”
The party believes this breach of diplomatic protocol tarnishes South Africa’s reputation on the global stage, particularly in a setting as high-profile as the White House.
As part of the remedy being sought, the MK Party has lodged a formal request for the Presidency to issue a public statement to clarify the purpose and scope of the White House meeting. They argue that the South African public and the international community deserve to know that Steenhuisen’s statements were not representative of the Government of National Unity (GNU) or Parliament as a whole.
“The Presidency must take full responsibility and issue a clear, unambiguous clarification. This is not just about political rivalry; it’s about the credibility of our democracy,” said Manyi.
The MK Party further emphasized that international diplomatic platforms should never be used for domestic political gains, especially at the expense of democratic inclusion.
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, positions itself as a revolutionary force advocating for economic transformation, land redistribution, and the restoration of black dignity in South Africa. The party has frequently clashed with the DA and other establishment parties over ideological and policy differences.
Their recent entry into Parliament following the 2024 elections has disrupted the traditional balance of power, prompting some within the GNU to express concerns over their potential influence.
The MK Party lodges this complaint not merely as a political move, but as a stand for ethical governance and accountability in international diplomacy. As tensions continue to rise within the GNU and among South Africa’s political elite, this incident underscores the fragile nature of coalition politics and the importance of maintaining proper protocol in international relations.
Whether the Ethics Committee will act on the MK Party’s complaint remains to be seen. However, what is clear is that this issue has sparked a broader debate about the use—and misuse—of international platforms for domestic political messaging.
Source- EWN
