Zuma’s political virility is a sight to behold

While much chatter recently about Jacob Zuma has focused on his potential seventh wife, and his new son, the ex-president’s political virility is also still something to behold.

Zuma has appeared on a number of public platforms since his removal from office – many of them arranged by loyalists in his political heartland of KwaZulu-Natal. The message to his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, is that Zuma still wields considerable clout.

His supporters in KZN have set up a new political formation – the African Transformation Congress – reportedly with Zuma’s blessing. Those around him want to involve him fully in what could become a critical opposition party in next year’s election.

With Zuma at its head, the party would not win the polls, but it could draw enough support away from the ANC to prevent the ruling party from getting even a simple 50% majority.

Zuma, for the moment, has shot down any possibility of becoming head of any opposition party. That is partly from loyalty to the only political home he has ever known – but also partly because breakaway parties, other than the EFF, have tended to wither away from the ANC.

Clearly, though, in a number of ways, Jacob Zuma is not done yet…

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