‘Ex-president Zuma still a strong force’ – expert says

His uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party may have been dismissed by ANC leaders as “a non-starter,” but former president Jacob Zuma – revealed as the brains behind the organisation that will contest this year’s polls – remains a major factor in South African politics, according to experts.

While Zuma has remained an ANC member, MK party’s surprise announcement that he was behind its formation has been puzzling.

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Major political factor

As the ANC takes a soft stance on Zuma – not hinting at any disciplinary action against him – secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said political the ANC had no personal agenda against him and was not threatened by his support for MK.

But, underscoring Zuma’s influence, independent political analyst Sandile Swana conceded he was “a major political factor for all of us.”

“This is backed by the fact that the ANC was unable to win KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) outright in previous elections, a picture which changed when he became president, with the party gaining 1.5 million votes in the province alone – winning provincial polls.

“But when he left office, the ANC lost half a million votes. When Zuma took power, the ANC was losing popularity around the country, but not in KZN.

“In the 2021 elections, the ANC lost the Durban metro, until Zuma restored it to the party,” said Swana.

ALSO READ: ‘You chose the wrong president, remove him so we can vote for ANC’ – Jacob Zuma tells MK supporters

Disgruntled ANC members

The MK party, he said, was largely supported by ANC members unhappy at the ANC’s step- aside rule, with some having lost top jobs due to being implicated in criminal activities.

“This is a coalition of the wounded, dissatisfied and disgruntled ANC members coalescing under the MK party, which they will vote for in the elections.

“Once votes have been cast, counted and results made public, the ANC and the EFF will be asked on terms of a deal being offered to the MK party.

“The emergence of the MK party supported by Zuma means that whatever the ANC of Ramaphosa has planned is seriously interrupted. The MK party is indeed the trojan horse in that Zuma’s bargaining power is in MK.”

Swana said the ANC was set to face a challenge in Gauteng and KZN in the polls. “If the ANC is destabilised in the two provinces, its national standing is totally gone.”

University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood said MK could “to some extent weaken ANC leadership.”

– brians@citizen.co.za