Former president Jacob Zuma says he will vote for Umkhonto WeSizwe (MK), a new political party, and not the African National Congress (ANC) in the upcoming elections.
He said his conscience would not allow him to vote for the ANC or President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“I cannot and will not campaign for the ANC of Ramaphosa. My conscience will not allow me to lie to the people of South Africa and pretend that the ANC of Ramaphosa was the one of [late former ANC leaders Albert] Luthuli, [Oliver] Tambo, and [Nelson] Mandela,” Zuma said.
“It is not the ANC I have joined and went to jail for.”
MK is among the hosts of political parties that were registered between June 29, and September 18 to contest the 2024 national elections.
The party has already been registered with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
Zuma said he turned down a request from some of the ANC leaders who have asked him to campaign for the party next year to help them emerge victorious.
Zuma said while he would not for the vote for the ANC, he remains a member of the ANC.
The former president resigned in 2018 after he was asked by the ANC to quit.
Zuma announced his decision Soweto on Saturday in a media briefing that was meant to reveal his political future ahead of the 2024 general elections.
During the briefing, Zuma clarified that he was not leaving the ANC but will vote for MK, citing his predecessor as“ an agent of white capital who has declared war on black progressives and professionals”.
He said the leadership of Ramaphosa has plunged the country into darkness with load shedding which has ruined the economy.
He added that serious and drastic action was needed to rescue the party from its crisis.
However, responding to the issue of MK, ANC’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula said his party would take legal action against the party over the trademark and name of MK.
Furthermore, Zuma brushed off the questions of him running for the presidential election in the elections.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL Politics