South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma has been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC), the party he once led, after campaigning for a rival party in the May 29 general election, according to local media reports.
The ANC’s disciplinary committee found him guilty of “prejudicing the integrity” of the party by aligning with uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK). He has been given three weeks to appeal the decision, as per a leaked ANC document cited by local media.
The ANC has yet to officially confirm Zuma’s expulsion, while MK has dismissed the disciplinary committee’s decision, calling it a ruling by a “kangaroo court.”
At 82, Zuma, an ANC veteran, fell out of favor with the party following his resignation as president in 2018 due to corruption scandals, though he has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In January, Zuma was suspended by the ANC after forming MK, which now serves as an opposition party in parliament.
MK, in a statement, expressed shock at learning of Zuma’s expulsion through media reports.
The disciplinary proceedings were conducted “in a manner akin to a kangaroo court”, the party said.
“It is a foundational legal principle that no person, not even those accused of a serious crime, should be punished or sentenced in their absence,” it added.
The ANC’s disciplinary committee held a virtual hearing, which Jacob Zuma refused to attend, insisting on being physically present.
In 2021, Zuma was jailed for contempt of court for refusing to fully cooperate with an inquiry into corruption during his nine-year presidency.
His arrest triggered the deadliest riots since the end of apartheid in 1994, resulting in over 300 deaths. Zuma also faces corruption charges related to a 1999 arms deal.
South Africa’s current president, Cyril Ramaphosa, succeeded Zuma in 2018 with a pledge to clean up the government. However, in the May 29 elections, the ANC experienced its worst defeat in 30 years, forcing the ruling party into a coalition to retain power.
uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), meaning “spear of the nation,” emerged as the country’s third-largest party by capturing nearly 15% of the vote and securing 58 seats in the 400-member parliament, mostly at the expense of the ANC.
Zuma claims the election results were rigged and has called for the election to be annulled. Following the election, MK announced its intention to join an opposition alliance in parliament.