MBOMBELA – Mary Phadi, the ousted Mpumalanga leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), has broken her silence, revealing the emotional toll of her expulsion from the party she dedicated herself to building. Phadi describes her removal as a deep betrayal by party leader Jacob Zuma, a man she once revered as a liberator of South Africa.
Phadi's comments come in the wake of an affidavit submitted by Zuma to the Mbombela High Court, which ultimately confirmed her expulsion from the nascent party and her dismissal from her position as a member of the provincial legislature in Mpumalanga.
On Tuesday, July 16, Phadi arrived at the legislature to formally sever her ties with the institution she had previously helped lead. "I went on TV and stated that I accept the judgment… It’s like you are in an abusive relationship and you allow the divorce to continue," Phadi told Sunday World. "But the day you sign off on the decree of divorce, the pain comes. I went through those emotions when signing the legislature papers."
Beyond her own personal feelings, Phadi, who also serves as president of the Truckers Association of South Africa, expressed concern for her family, saying that her expulsion had left them emotionally drained. She added that she never anticipated being politically sacrificed after investing so much effort into the party's formation.
Phadi's political journey with the MKP began well before the party gained widespread popularity. As one of the first high-profile figures to align herself with Zuma's new political entity, she was appointed provincial convenor. Following the May 2024 general elections, she led the party's legislature caucus.
Under Phadi's leadership, the MKP secured an impressive 193,995 votes in Mpumalanga, surpassing both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to become the official opposition with nine seats in the provincial legislature. "We were with the MKP way before anyone knew the potential this party had. We worked the ground and managed to become the main opposition in the legislature, but now Mary Phadi is being removed for organising a rally that featured thousands of people," she lamented.
However, her ascent was followed by a dramatic fall from grace, marked by months of internal conflict. Phadi's troubles within the MK Party began in October 2024, when she was initially expelled for allegedly organising a rally without the party's authorisation. She successfully challenged this expulsion in court and was reinstated in December 2024. However, in May 2025, Zuma submitted an affidavit accusing her of insubordination and insulting senior leaders. On July 8, the court upheld her expulsion, effectively ending her leadership role despite her significant contributions to the party's rise.
In his affidavit, Zuma stated that Phadi had violated the party's constitution by organising a rally after he had already designated EFF defector Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane as the provincial leader. He also accused Phadi of calling former secretary-general Floyd Shivambu a "dog" in a viral video clip, using the phrase "sishaya inja kuphume umnikazi".
Despite the evident hurt, Phadi stated that she would not appeal the court's ruling. "I have so much respect for Mr Zuma. That man broke my heart. I am human. In summary, I feel that I was betrayed by Mr Zuma," she said.
When asked whether Zuma had been fed misinformation about her leadership in the province, Phadi expressed doubt that anyone could deceive the seasoned political strategist. "It wasn’t misinformation because he could have investigated and found the truth of my loyalty. I feel that maybe I approached everything honestly. I was not playing politics like other politicians do. Maybe that’s my downfall," she said. "I miscalculated him. I came as a servant."
Phadi also shared that her family has been deeply affected by her treatment. "My mother is now sitting with a heart problem. It’s so painful. My son was saying to me, ‘Mama, if I can just do something, I would place you in a safe bottle so that South Africa does not have a chance to harm you because you are so loving and it is costing you’," she said.
Phadi concluded the interview with a direct message to Zuma: "Please, don’t do what you did to me to any member of the MK Party. You mustn’t do that. People risk everything for a cause they believe in. I believe in umkhonto wesizwe. I believe it should remain in the hands of those who are prepared to give up their lives for it," Phadi said.
Her departure marks the end of a once-promising political journey that began with loyalty but ended in heartbreak, raising questions about trust, power, and the true cost of dedicating oneself to a revolution.
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