Former SA President Jacob Zuma suspended for backing another party ahead of elections

Former SA President Jacob Zuma suspended for backing another party ahead of elections -Former South African President, Jacob Zuma, has been suspended from the ruling party he once led due to his refusal to vote for it and the establishment of a rival organisation.

The African National Congress (ANC) announced this decision on Monday, saying that anyone whose conduct is in conflict with the party’s values and principles will be outside the party.

In a statement, the Secretary-General of ANC, Fikile Mbalula stated that, “Zuma and others whose conduct is in conflict with our values and principles, will find themselves outside the African National Congress.”

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During his nine years in office, Jacob Zuma was plagued by scandals, including an official inquiry that revealed he prioritised the interests of corrupt associates over those of his country. He was also accused of being involved in a state capture, and he was imprisoned in 2021 for not appearing at the inquiry. Additionally, he is facing corruption charges over a 1999 arms deal, though he has denied any wrongdoing.

Despite these controversies, the ANC had continued to tolerate Zuma’s conduct. However, the party deemed his creation of a new rival party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), meaning “Spear of the Nation,” as a bridge too far. Zuma’s former ANC comrades have accused him of debasing the “proud history of armed struggle against the apartheid regime,” through the opportunistic use of military symbolism. They claim MK exists solely to “erode the support base of the ANC.”

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South Africa’s present President, Cyril Ramaphosa, took over from Zuma in 2018 and promised to clean up the government. As a result of Zuma’s suspension, Cyril now leads an embattled ANC into the general election scheduled for later this year. It remains to be seen how this conflict will impact the election and the political landscape of South Africa.

-Afrogazette-