Jacob Zuma Expelled from the African National Congress Amid Political Turmoil

Jacob Zuma Expelled from the African National Congress

The African National Congress (A.N.C.), South Africa’s ruling party, made a significant announcement on Monday, declaring the expulsion of former president Jacob Zuma. This decision marks a dramatic severance of ties with a once-revered figure within the party, who has recently aligned himself with a rival political faction.

Jacob Zuma, who has been a prominent figure in the A.N.C. for decades, saw his legacy tainted during his presidency due to numerous corruption scandals that adversely affected the party’s reputation. After facing immense pressure, he resigned as South Africa’s president in 2018. In a surprising turn of events this year, Zuma leveraged his substantial political influence to advocate for uMkhonto weSizwe, commonly referred to as M.K., a breakaway party that poses a challenge to the A.N.C.

The emergence of M.K. has already impacted the A.N.C., particularly during the national elections in May, where it achieved the third-highest number of votes. This resulted in the A.N.C. failing to secure an outright majority, a first since the end of apartheid three decades ago. Now at the age of 82, Zuma stands as a leading figure for M.K., which currently holds 58 out of 400 parliamentary seats, positioning itself to contest the A.N.C.’s dominance further.

Fikile Mbalula, the secretary-general of the A.N.C., stated that Zuma’s expulsion was due to his actions that “actively impugned the integrity of the A.N.C. and campaigned to dislodge the A.N.C. from power while falsely claiming that he had not severed his membership.” Following this decision, Zuma has been granted a 21-day period to appeal.

Earlier this year, the A.N.C. had already suspended Zuma in response to what they termed “vitriolic attacks” against the party during his M.K. campaign. Zuma, however, has argued that his efforts were aimed at rescuing the A.N.C. from its current leadership, which he accuses of corruption.

Despite being barred from running for office due to a conviction related to his failure to testify in a corruption inquiry, Zuma remained a visible presence in the election. His image adorned campaign posters, and he participated in rallies that drew thousands, showcasing his distinctive populist appeal.

As the face of the new opposition, Zuma has launched criticisms against his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, and the former deputy of the A.N.C., accusing them of corrupt practices and misconduct. Analysts believe that Zuma’s return to the political arena is motivated by a desire to undermine his former party and particularly to discredit Ramaphosa, who did not support him during his 2021 arrest for contempt of court.

Zuma’s political journey began when he joined the A.N.C. as a teenager, participating in the liberation movement. He was arrested by apartheid authorities at the age of 21 and spent a decade on Robben Island, serving time alongside Nelson Mandela and other prominent political figures. However, his presidency was marred by controversy, with accusations from veteran freedom fighters that he attracted new party members driven by personal interests rather than a commitment to the party’s ideals. A lengthy corruption inquiry revealed that he permitted friends and associates to exploit state-owned enterprises for their gain.

Contributors: Amelia Nierenberg and John Eligon.