In just five months since former President Jacob Zuma decided to run against the ANC and endorse the MK Party, the ANC failed to win the majority in the 29 May elections, with Zuma's party rising to become the third largest party. Will the ANC survive without him?
The ANC this week expelled Zuma from the party for misconduct, charging him with contravening the party’s constitution by supporting, forming, and voting for the MK Party.
He was suspended in January, a month after announcing that he would vote against the ANC in the 2024 national and provincial elections in June.
This came after Zuma launched the MKP in December, claiming it was an alternative to rescue the ANC from losing power completely.
The clash also involves the trademark and logo of the MKP, which the ANC claims as theirs. Zuma stated he would not vote for the ANC of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
What will the ANC look like without Zuma?
This question has been met with mixed reactions, especially from those who worked with Zuma and served under his leadership. Some comments IOL received were from ANC NEC members who wished to remain anonymous due to internal factions.
Others declined to comment, concerned about how their responses might be interpreted.
“Remember, there are debates about who led the country better between Zuma and Ramaphosa. So you know how the topic goes, and my comment might be interpreted differently, but I think the ANC will survive,” one member said. He continued, stating that Zuma has done more damage to the party than any other leader.
“I am sure you know about the ‘nine wasted years of Zuma’ issue. This issue arose because of how he led the country,” he said.
Another member said, “Good riddance, Zuma is gone. We cannot have a leader who runs against us and expects respect and the best treatment. That cannot happen,” he said.
However, another member argued that Zuma led the party well and is deeply loved. “You can see how much he is loved. No one here is loved like him, but what can we say? He is gone.”
Speaking to IOL, political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said Zuma is a crowd-puller, loved by many, and his departure from the ANC will bring significant damage. Seepe said it was unfortunate because the ANC was dealing with someone they had supported for years, hence the frustration.
“So what is now said by people like Thabo Mbeki and others is just an attempt to manufacture lies about Zuma,” he said.
Zuma served in critical roles in the ANC, including going into exile. According to Seepe, it would be a mistake if they were dealing with a different type of person.
“Because he was not ordinary, he has now become the object of hatred. In the ANC, there’s a tendency to hate their own more than hating the oppressor. No party does that more than the ANC. It is unable to acknowledge that when Zuma told you that you are messing up and you’ll lose,” he added.
For the first time in South African democratic history, the ANC failed to win a majority in the elections.
The party dropped to 40% in the 29 May national and provincial elections. Seepe said this was the worst performance by any ANC president.
“This notion that Ramaphosa is good and works for the country is just nonsensical,” he said. Seepe mentioned that the ANC will feel the pinch of Zuma’s departure because he will now compete with them.
Who is Jacob Zuma?
Zuma is a politician who served as the country’s president from 2009 until he was forced to resign in 2018. He served as deputy president from 1999 to 2005. He also served as deputy president and president of the ANC. In his youth, he was among those who fought apartheid, which resulted in his imprisonment on Robben Island.
During his presidency, Zuma faced numerous votes of no confidence and an impeachment vote in Parliament for his alleged involvement in corruption with the Guptas. He survived all of them, shielded by the ANC’s majority.
MK was the armed wing of the ANC until it was disbanded in 1993, but Zuma resurrected the name for his political movement, the MKP.
The ANC Fight Against the MK Party
The ANC has objected to Zuma using the name, leading to numerous legal challenges in the courts. They are currently in court over the trademark of MKP.
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