The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) is staging its first wave of protests in Johannesburg this morning, setting the scene for a larger political campaign later this week.
MK Party Johannesburg protests: Here’s what you must know
Members have been gathering at Beyers Naudé Square since 10:00, demanding accountability and action.
MK Party veterans, many of whom once fought during the struggle against apartheid, are calling this a pivotal moment.
Their invitation is clear: submit to justice—or fight. A statement issued earlier this week reads:
“ONLY TWO CHOICES REMAIN: SUBMIT OR FIGHT.”
They plan to march directly to the SAPS headquarters in Pretoria to lay charges against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Lt‑General Sibiya, accusing them of criminal activity.
MK Party Gauteng spokesperson Abel Tau emphasised their message during an interview with SABC News:
“We all know that with the advent of the GNU basically South Africa is on their own—only MK Party stands with its people. … we have to lead from the front and we are calling on the people of Gauteng to come out in numbers to literally make sure that they demand nothing less than justice and accountability.”
His words make it clear that the party positions itself as the one force willing to challenge the current state apparatus.
This protest comes just days after the Democratic Alliance (DA) laid criminal charges and filed a parliamentary ethics complaint against the minister over alleged false statements under oath to Parliament.
The DA alleges that Mchunu lied when he initially denied ties to Brown Mogotsi but later admitted knowing him, raising questions of integrity and trust.
MK Party vow to bring Gauteng to a standstill on Friday, 18 July 2025
MK Party has announced a more extensive shutdown planned for Friday, 18 July 2025.
They aim to paralyse Gauteng with a total shutdown and a second march to Tshwane’s Union Buildings. Historically, protests by groups aligned with former President Jacob Zuma, of which MK Party claims lineage, have sometimes turned violent—most notably during the July 2021 riots, when protests escalated with burning buildings and looting.
Abel Tau warned this is no ordinary march.
“We believe that… this country has been given over… to criminal elements and syndicates operating with impunity,” he said.
The MK Party insists that their protest is neither partisan nor personal, but rather a citizens’ call to reclaim their country and demand justice from what they describe as a criminal network embedded in power.
President Cyril Ramaphosa responded forcefully to earlier explosive allegations by KZN Police Commissioner Lt‑Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused Mchunu of interfering with political murders investigations and dissolving specialised task teams that were probing criminal syndicates.
Ramaphosa immediately placed Minister Mchunu on leave and announced a judicial commission of inquiry led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
The inquiry—independent and empowered to subpoena evidence—aims to investigate the infiltration of state institutions by criminal syndicates.
“This commission … affirms our commitment to the rule of law, transparency and accountability,” Ramaphosa said in a televised address on Sunday.
He appointed Firoz Cachalia as acting Minister of Police from August, but reassured the country that Madlanga’s commission will take precedence and move swiftly.