The uMkhonto we Sizwe Party Youth League (MKPYL) has criticised and rejected expelled MK Party leader Jabulani Khumalo’s statement that party MPs will be present for the first Parliamentary sitting on Friday, saying it only recognised Jacob Zuma as the “rightful leader” of the party.

MK Party has indicated that its 58 elected members, who are expected to occupy seats in the National Assembly, will boycott and not attend the first sitting.

The party has also directed its attorneys to urgently seek an interdict from the Constitutional Court to postpone the first sittings of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces, which are meant to be held on Friday and Saturday respectively.

It further wants the Constitutional Court to interdict the swearing in of party nominated candidates as members of the National Assembly until its grievances of voter rigging are addressed by the courts.

Khumalo said in a statement on Monday the “purported MK communication” that said that Parliament was not constituted based on the absence of 58 MK Party MPs was “misguided in law and frankly embarrassing”.

“The true leader of MK, being myself, does not agree with it. Parliament has been constituted with 400 members as at the confirmation of 400 elected members following the elections,” he explained.

Khumalo said if any MKP MPs did not avail themselves in Parliament on Friday for “understandable fear of victimisation” by Zuma and his “clique”, this he said would not in itself be basis for Parliament not to continue with business of swearing in MPs and continue with its scheduled business on the date chosen by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Parliament said on Monday that it had cancelled all flights and accommodation arrangements for members of the MK Party in light of the party’s communication that its members would not attend the first proceedings.

The MKPYL said it stood firm in its rejection of Khumalo claiming to be the leader of the party, and  added that it will “always protect and stand firm in what is right and is for the greater good, and that is President Zuma”.

The Youth League highlighted that it did not have place for “treacherous and deceitful” individuals who it said claimed to be leaders of the party “and yet they can easily sell for a fully specked Land Cruiser”.

“It would do Khumalo and his feebleminded handlers and supporters to stop their behaviour and let President Zuma continue to gallantly lead the party towards the economic freedom of our lifetime,” the MKPYL said.