Former South African president Jacob Zuma has been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC) after publicly supporting a rival political party and campaigning for them ahead of the upcoming elections in May.
Zuma had been a member of the ANC for 65 years. He joined the anti-apartheid movement in 1959 as a young man and, like Nelson Mandela, was imprisoned on Robben Island for his role in fighting against white minority rule.
Following the establishment of democracy in South Africa, Zuma, like Mandela, served as president. However, his long association with the ANC came to an unfortunate end on Monday.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula stated that Jacob Zuma has undermined the integrity of the ANC and worked to remove the party from power, which led to his expulsion.
Zuma, 82, was compelled to resign in disgrace in 2018 during his second presidential term due to multiple corruption scandals. He is often accused of facilitating “State Capture,” which involves transferring control of state-owned enterprises and ministries to his business associates, though he denies any wrongdoing.
Displeased with the ANC, Zuma supported the newly-formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party in December 2023. Despite his suspension from the ANC, he continued to be a member while leading the MK party and campaigning against his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, despite being barred from running for office due to a previous criminal conviction.
Despite the corruption allegations against him, Zuma has maintained strong support in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal. The MK party performed notably well in the May 29 elections, emerging as South Africa’s third-largest party with nearly 15 percent of the vote.
However, Zuma rejected these results, falsely alleging voting irregularities without evidence. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula highlighted this issue when announcing Zuma’s expulsion.
“Former President Zuma has been promoting a dangerous agenda that undermines our entire constitutional framework,” Mbalula said. “He has made numerous anti-revolutionary statements, including baselessly questioning the credibility of our electoral processes.”
The official election results marked the first time since 1994 that the ANC lost its parliamentary majority, necessitating a coalition to govern. MK, now the official opposition in parliament, is led by a disgraced former judge aligned with Zuma.
Professor David Everatt from Johannesburg’s Witwatersrand School of Governance expressed surprise that the ANC took so long to expel Zuma. He remarked that it clearly indicates a shift in the balance of power within the party, showing that Zuma no longer has enough internal support to defend himself.
Political analyst Sandile Swana, however, pointed out that the ANC had long shielded Zuma. He argued that Zuma’s tenure contributed significantly to the party’s decline and that his legacy is intertwined with the deterioration of the ANC.
Zuma is scheduled to appear in court next year to address corruption charges related to a 1999 arms deal.
