Former South African President Zuma suspended from ANC party

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has suspended former President Jacob Zuma’s membership after he campaigned for a different political party.

The suspension, the latest incident in a feud between Zuma and President Cyril Ramaphosa, came after a press conference in December in which Zuma announced he would vote for the new uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party because of Ramaphosa’s leadership.

In a statement, the ANC said Zuma was “irreconcilable” with the party’s constitution. Ramaphosa’s ANC has been in power for the 30 years since apartheid rule ended in South Africa. From 2007 to 2018, Zuma headed the ANC, leading Africa’s most advanced economy.

In 2018, Zuma was forced to step down amid corruption allegations that he is still reckoning with today. Ramaphosa succeeded him with plans to clean up the party, and the two have clashed ever since.

Zuma is being tried on multiple corruption charges for an incident that occurred when he was deputy president more than 20 years ago. The charges pertain to a multibillion-dollar arms deal between the South African government and French weapons manufacturer Thales.

Zuma has pleaded not guilty to all counts and has insisted the trial is politically motivated. Despite the fraud allegations, Zuma still retains some support in South Africa. After he was sent to prison in 2021 for refusing a court order to provide evidence, mass protests ensued, leaving more than 300 people dead.

The ANC is now facing a difficult election year amid rising poverty, increasing unemployment and claims that the party has failed to deliver on its promise of a better life for South Africans. The party may be forced to join a coalition as polls suggest it might fall below 50 per cent of the national vote for the first time in its history.