Former South African President, Jacob Zuma, has made a bold political move by announcing that his party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), will be joining the opposition alliance in parliament. This decision comes after Zuma expressed his dissatisfaction with the governing coalition led by the African National Congress (ANC).
In a speech read by MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela, Zuma criticized the ANC and described the partnership between the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA) as a “white-led unholy alliance.” He also alleged that last month’s elections were rigged and called for the results to be annulled.
The ANC, which lost its outright majority for the first time since the end of apartheid, recently sealed a power-sharing agreement with the DA. Three smaller parties have also joined this coalition, including the Good party led by Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille.
Despite the ANC re-electing Cyril Ramaphosa as president, a government is yet to be formed. The power-sharing deal between the ANC and the DA was once considered unimaginable, given their historical enmity. The DA, rooted in free-market economics, has clashed with the ANC’s left-wing traditions.
Zuma’s announcement that MK will be joining the opposition alliance has raised concerns about potential violence among his supporters. In the past, his followers sparked deadly riots when he was jailed for corruption-related charges.
The newly formed MK performed well in the elections, becoming the country’s third-largest party and securing 58 seats in parliament. Zuma stated that MK will become part of the official opposition, aligning with other small parties in the Progressive Caucus.
Zuma, an ANC veteran who was forced to resign as president in 2018 due to corruption allegations, has remained defiant and vowed to “fight to win back our country from the enemies of progress.” As tensions rise in South Africa’s political landscape, all eyes are on how this new alliance will shape the country’s future.
