‘Writing is on the wall’ – MK Party and ACT collaboration pose ‘significant threat to ANC’

Declaring a political alliance ahead of elections, the leader of the African Congress for Transformation (ACT) party, Ace Magashule, has joined forces with former president Jacob Zuma’s backing of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, posing another potential setback to the embattled ANC.

The “Magashule Zuma United Front” will mark a “departure from traditional politics towards a more inclusive, people-centric approach”, said the ACT.

It added that it would also amalgamate with MK.

The pair, who lost their posts over corruption allegations, recently formed separate parties in the run-up to this year’s elections.

Timing of the announcement was ‘very interesting’

Political analyst Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast said the timing of the announcement was “very interesting” given that the ANC was celebrating its 112th birthday and would be reading its statements to the country today.

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Breakfast said it appeared that the rationale behind the move was to distract the ANC and force it to reflect on this development

“I am not taken aback by the turn of events,” he said.

“I saw it coming because there are similarities between Zuma and Magashule.

“They were together in the trenches when they were fighting against Ramaphosa. Whether they were right or wrong is not the issue.

“The issue is that what brings them together is radical economic transformation,” said Breakfast.

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“Both of them have argued along the same lines that the current ANC has not implemented the mandate that they got from the conference of 2017.

“But the other question is that they will be joining forces, but what about other people gone to the Economic Freedom Fighters? Are they going to come back?”

MK party without Magashule’s party posed a threat to the ANC

Breakfast said the MK party without Magashule’s party posed a threat to the ANC.

“How much more [will it pose a threat] when it’s the two organisations now?” he asked.

In power for three decades, the ANC has had its once-stellar standing mauled by allegations of corruption and mismanagement amid a weak economy hampered by power cuts, high unemployment and rampant crime.

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Breakfast said these developments would disrupt the ANC in the upcoming elections.

“I think the writing is on the wall. The ANC will not come back to power. There have been how many scientific findings that have been unveiled which confirmed that the ANC will get below 50%,” he said.

“Maybe we don’t accept that because it is a theory, but once the electoral outcomes are out, maybe we’ll accept it in practice.

“But I have no doubt in my mind that it will not reach the [50%] threshold. Even themselves, they are well aware.

“Why did they have a conversation about the ways and means of closing the gaps of coalition formation? They are well aware,” he said.

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ACT founded in August last year

ACT was founded in August last year by Magashule and fired Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza.

Magashule, 64, served as the secretary-general of the ANC between December 2017 until his suspension on 3 May, 2021.

He served as premier of the Free State from 2009 until 2018 and was known to be influential in the ANC of his home province.

Magashule was expelled from the ANC in June last year.

The ANC’s national disciplinary committee found that he had brought the party into disrepute.

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Magashule has been accused of various corrupt activities.

He was arrested in November 2020 and awaits trial on charges relating to corruption under a government contract awarded while he was premier of the Free State.

MK party publicly endorsed by Zuma in December

The newly launched MK party is also one of the most talkedabout developments in the run-up to this year’s elections after it was publicly endorsed by Zuma in December.

The party was named after the former armed wing of the ANC.

MK was registered on 7 September, 2023 by a man called Jabulani Sibongiseni Khumalo.

It was launched in Soweto on 16 December, a day that marked the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the uMkhonto weSizwe armed wing.

Additional reporting by AFP