Bishop Stephen Zondo Explains His Shift from ANC to Zuma’s MK Party

Bishop Stephen Zondo, leader of the Rivers of Living Waters Ministries, has opened up about his decision to leave the ANC and join Jacob Zuma’s newly formed MK Party. After quietly distancing himself from the ANC last year, Zondo has now broken his silence, revealing that he believes the ruling party has run out of fresh ideas to move South Africa forward.

In an in-depth interview with Sunday World, Zondo said he was drawn to the MK Party’s stance on education and its proposed military conscription policy for school-leavers. He explained that Zuma’s speeches leading up to the 2024 elections ultimately convinced him to align himself with the new movement.

Although Zondo was not an active member of the ANC, he has now fully committed to the MK Party, aiming to help it secure a majority in the upcoming elections. “I felt like the ANC had reached its ceiling. There was nothing new, nothing exciting anymore,” he said. “After 30 years, I wanted something more, something that would allow me to grow politically.”

He cited MKP’s education policies as a key reason for his decision. “When JZ said our children must be forced to go to school and that education should be free, it resonated with me. Many young people can’t register because they owe institutions money, and that needs to change.”

Zondo was particularly drawn to MKP’s proposal that teenagers who do not pursue further education should undergo military training for two years. “White people did this with their children during apartheid, and today, the Boers still know how to protect themselves,” he claimed. “This would be the best discipline we can instill in black youth. I saw discipline, rehabilitation, and patriotism in MKP’s vision.”

According to Zondo, military conscription could address social issues such as drug addiction and crime—problems that, he believes, the church has been unable to solve through prayer alone. He also argued that enforcing military training would cultivate patriotism and instill a sense of national pride among young South Africans.

When asked why he believes Zuma can bring change through the MK Party when he was unable to do so as ANC president, Zondo said the circumstances are different. He claimed Zuma did not have full support from the ANC but still achieved significant progress during his presidency.

Now, with MKP’s vision, Zondo is convinced that the former president has the backing he needs to drive meaningful change in South Africa.

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