Just when you thought South Africa’s political situation couldn’t get any more entertaining, they’ve outdone themselves. Former President Jacob Zuma has been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC) after throwing his support behind a rival party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), in May’s parliamentary election.
In January, the ANC had enough of Zuma’s antics and suspended him after he publicly announced his support for MK in the general election. Not one to back down, Zuma didn’t just support MK; he became its leader and face. To everyone’s surprise, MK managed to bag about 15% of the vote, dealing a heavy blow to the ANC, which lost its majority for the first time since the apartheid era.
What They Are saying
“Former President Jacob Zuma has actively impugned the integrity of the ANC and campaigned to dislodge the ANC from power, while claiming that he had not severed his membership,” said ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula in a statement that sounded more like a scolding parent than a political leader.
“This conduct is irreconcilable with the spirit of organisational discipline and letter of the ANC Constitution.”
Why It Matters
The ANC’s share of the vote plummeted to 40.18%, a steep drop from the 57.50% they enjoyed in 2019, forcing them into a coalition government for the first time since 1994. Meanwhile, MK is now sitting pretty as the official opposition.
MK didn’t take Zuma’s expulsion lying down. They released a statement earlier, condemning the ANC’s decision and the “grave injustices” against Zuma. “President Zuma will engage his legal team to urgently determine the course of action,” they declared, suggesting this saga is far from over.
Bottom Line
Zuma has 21 days to appeal the decision. This latest chapter in Zuma’s political journey is hardly surprising, given his tumultuous nine years in office from 2009, riddled with corruption scandals and economic woes. Since being ousted as ANC leader in 2018, he’s been a thorn in the side of his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and it seems he has no plans to stop now.
