Nomvalo says he was accused of plotting to remove Zuma as MK party president

According to Nomvalo, there was a plot to get rid of him. The dismissed former secretary-general (SG) of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has broken his silence on the reasons for his sacking. A few days ago, Sibonelo Nomvalo was kicked out of his position as SG of the MK party. In a statement at the time, the party accused him of several things. “Comrade Nomvalo has been relieved of his duties as secretary-general following concerns relating to the councillor selection process, internal factionalism, matters concerning dual remuneration, delays in campaign materials, changes within the parliamentary caucus and parliamentary administration that were reportedly not communicated to the president,” said the party’s spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu. Four attempts But on Friday, Nomvalo held a media briefing in Durban, where he gave his own side of the story. According to Nomvalo, he was not surprised by the decision to remove him as SG. He said there had been many attempts before; others came through “intelligence reports” that were submitted to the founder of the party, Jacob Zuma. “The first intelligence report was submitted to president Zuma at night in a hotel in Durban before our national officials meeting, which took place in eBandla in Ballito around June-July 2026,” he said. Nomvalo said the report accused him of being a spy for the ANC – particularly the party’s NEC member Zweli Mkhize. “The report was saying I am an agent of Zweli Mkhize; he bought my car and was responsible for paying my security personnel. “Out of my own volition, I collected all the necessary evidence, including bank statements and logbooks, to dismiss these allegations. “I requested for a meeting with president Zuma, deputy president Yengeni and comrade Wilies Mchunu in which I tendered the evidence and we discussed the matter at length,” he said. Nomvalo said he is heartbroken to be accused of having relations with Zweli Mkhize that he did not have. “I don’t even have his number, I doubt he has mine,” he said. He said the second intelligence report accused him of plotting with the party’s former SG, Floyd Shivambu, to remove Zuma as the president of the party. The pair allegedly planned to use the party’s policy conference to do this. “As a consequence of this, the policy conference was cancelled. I want to place it on record that I only interacted once with Floyd Shivambu; it was during his term of office as the SG of the MK party,” he said. He said the third intelligence report alleged that he had stolen money from the MK party to buy cows. “Attached to this report was my Facebook picture posted in 2024 where I am standing in my kraal. The interpretation to the president is that it’s a new picture and all and all cows appearing on the picture were bought with monies I stole from the MK party,” he said. Nomvalo said he had bought the livestock in question in 2023, when he was a practising attorney. He said there was a fourth intelligence report that accused him and Brian Molefe of paying more than R20 million to the Birchwood Hotel to host the party’s policy conference. “We brought all documents, including bank statements and the contract with Birchwood Hotel, to dismiss these allegations.” Not surprised by his removal Nomvalo said that after the alleged attempts, he was expecting to be removed as the SG of the party at any time. “My mind was long prepared for this; it was prepared for this,” he said.