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South Africa’s ruling ANC suspends Ex-President Jacob Zuma’s membership

Ex-President Jacob Zuma’s membership
Ex-president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma [Credits: Reuters]

South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), has suspended former President Jacob Zuma from the party.

This was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.

According to him, Zuma’s conduct contravened the values and principles of the party.

“Zuma and others whose conduct is in conflict with our values and principles, will find themselves outside the African National Congress,” Mbalula said.

Zuma served as the president of the country for nine years, starting in 2009, but his tenure was marred by scandals.

According to local media reports, an official inquiry concluded that the former president prioritised the interests of corrupt associates over those of his nation, a phenomenon known as “state capture.” Subsequently, in 2021, he was imprisoned for non-compliance with the inquiry. Additionally, Zuma faced corruption charges related to a 1999 arms deal, consistently denying any wrongdoing.

Despite these challenges, the African National Congress (ANC) had tolerated Zuma. However, the formation of a new party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), meaning “spear of the nation,” which shares a name with the ANC’s former armed wing that Zuma once served in, was deemed a step too far.

In a scathing letter, Zuma’s former ANC colleagues accused him of tarnishing the “proud history of armed struggle against the apartheid regime” through the “opportunistic use of military symbolism.” They also asserted that MK exists solely to “erode the support base of the ANC.”

South Africa’s current President, Cyril Ramaphosa, assumed office in 2018, succeeding then-President Zuma, with a commitment to reform the government. He now leads a beleaguered ANC into the upcoming general election.

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