What's happened
Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC) after backing the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which contributed to the ANC losing its parliamentary majority in May's elections. The ANC cited Zuma's actions as damaging to the party's integrity.
Why it matters
What the papers say
The Guardian reported that Zuma's actions were seen as a direct challenge to the ANC's integrity, with Secretary General Fikile Mbalula stating, 'Zuma has actively impugned the integrity of the ANC.' Al Jazeera highlighted that Zuma's support for MK was a significant factor in the ANC's electoral loss, marking the first time since 1994 that the party failed to secure a majority. The South China Morning Post noted that Zuma's expulsion followed a disciplinary process, emphasizing the ANC's constitutional stance against his actions. The New York Times pointed out that Zuma's tenure was marred by corruption scandals, which have continued to affect his political legacy.
How we got here
Zuma's expulsion follows his support for MK, which he helped establish after being suspended from the ANC in January. The ANC's electoral decline, from 57.5% in 2019 to 40.2% in May 2024, was significantly influenced by MK's emergence as a political force.
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Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is a South African politician
who served as the fourth democratically elected President of South Africa from the 2009 general election until his resignation on 14 February 2018.
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The African National Congress is the Republic of South Africa's governing political party. It has been the ruling party of post-apartheid South Africa since the election of Nelson Mandela in the 1994 election, winning every election since then.
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South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. With over 59 million people, it is the world's 24th-most populous nation and covers an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres.