Not even two of his long-standing friends and comrades could get through to Jacob Zuma when the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal tried to convince the former president to stay in the party.

Pastor Vusi Dube and former KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu were sent on separate missions to bring Zuma back into the fold. They failed.

The corruption-accused former president refused to budge.

ANC KZN secretary Bheki Mtolo said he deliberately sent Dube to Nkandla to pull at Zuma's heartstrings because the two were fond of each other.

Mchunu, on the other hand, had been sent to Nkandla due to his seniority.

But, before that, the ANC in KZN had sent the chairperson of the Musa Dladla region, Musa Cebekhulu, to sit down with Zuma.

Cebekhulu is a staunch Zuma supporter and the leader of the SA National Civic Organisation.

Mtolo said for Cebekhulu's trip, he was told Zuma was not at home, although the state cars which Zuma used could be seen on the property. 

"He asked how Zuma had left and the response was: this is Nkandla, there are many modes of transport," Mtolo said.

"We are not as dumb as people like to think. This party [MK Party] was formed as early as after 2019, this is not a new party. The plan of this party was formed with old machinery, after 2019, after the collapse of ATM," he added.

Mtolo said it was clear Zuma was driven by anger and hatred.

The visits were just some of the ANC's initial attempts at keeping Zuma in the party.

Since then, the ANC has resorted to roping in senior members to counter Zuma's campaigning for the MK Party.

This week, Police Minister Bheki Cele spoke at a meeting of activists in eThekwini, where he took several swipes at the former president. 

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu and Zweli Mkhize - both former ardent supporters of Zuma - spoke at separate events on Saturday.

Former premier and now Public Works Minister Sihle Zikalala and Sbu Ndebele were also set to speak at an event in Ndwedwe.

Mtolo said, unlike the short resignation of former ANC Veteran's League president Mavuso Msimang in December, Zuma had left no room to be persuaded. 

Msimang resigned as an ANC member in December, citing corruption. After talks, he later returned to the party. 

"We sent Dube, Baba's [which means father, but is commonly used to refer to Zuma] friend, you all know Dube. I told Dube to go to Nkandla to ask why Baba had left.

"Dube ran to Nkandla, and the next thing I heard him speak on the radio, and I knew that he had accepted defeat," Mtolo said.

He added Mchunu had also returned with negative feedback.

"When I asked for a report back, he [Mchunu] asked me to sit. I asked if he would be coming back, and he told me to take a seat."

"This is because he has made up his mind, that's why I'm saying we sent everyone. I thought Dube would pull at his heartstrings because he loves him. But Dube told me he is gone ... it's not that we didn't make the means; we made all the means," Mtolo said.

He added that they knew Zuma would take some voters from the ANC and other parties.

The admission the new political party could eat away at the ANC's support base in KwaZulu-Natal came as the MK Party claimed people in the province had shown "major MK support".

According to it, KZN had shown about 80% support, the highest across provinces.

It is unclear what metric was used to measure the support.