Former South African President Jacob Zuma sent shockwaves reverberating across the political sphere when he announced his support for the newly registered MK (uMkhonto Wesizwe) Party in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Jacob Zuma announces new party, uMkhonto Wesizwe
Zuma, a prominent figure in South African politics, expressed full backing for this emerging political entity and encouraged the public to consider voting for it.
The MK party, emerging from the historical armed wing of the ANC during the anti-apartheid struggle, now stands as a distinct political force with its own ideologies and priorities.
“I will vote for the newly registered MK (Mkhonto Wesizwe) party in the 2024 elections,” Zuma stated, marking a departure from his historical allegiance to the ANC.
Zuma’s History with the ANC
Zuma joined the ANC at 17 in 1959 and was later imprisoned for 10 years on Robben Island as a political prisoner.
After his release, he became actively involved in the ANC’s underground structures and was appointed head of the ANC’s intelligence department post-exile.
Rising through the ranks, he became deputy secretary general in 1991, national chairperson in 1994, and deputy president in 1997.
Zuma served as South Africa’s deputy president from 1999 to 2005 under President Thabo Mbeki. However, his tenure was marked by controversy, including charges of corruption and a highly publicised rape trial in 2006, from which he was acquitted.
Zuma’s presidency, which began in 2009, was beset by further controversy, notably the Public Protector’s finding in 2014 that he had improperly benefited from state expenditure on his Nkandla homestead.
In 2016, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma had failed to uphold the Constitution, leading to calls for his resignation and a failed impeachment attempt. Following Cyril Ramaphosa’s election as ANC president in December 2017, the ANC’s National Executive Committee recalled Zuma.
He resigned in February 2018 amid growing allegations of state capture.
Zuma’s endorsement of the MK party marked a significant shift in the ANC’s projected performance in the 2024 elections, with leaders, more recently Mavuso Msimang’s reverse resignation, steadily voicing their intention to dethrone the ruling party.
