South Africa’s ruling ANC on Monday expelled its former leader, ex-president Jacob Zuma, following disciplinary proceedings for leading a rival party into elections.
The African National Congress, which lost its absolute parliamentary majority for the first time in May because of Zuma’s defection, said the senior politician’s conduct was “inconsistent” with its constitution.
“Former president Jacob Zuma has actively cast doubt on the loyalty of the ANC and campaigned to remove it from power, while claiming he has not yet terminated his membership,” ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told a news conference.
Mbalula said he was thus “expelled” from the party.
The ANC first suspended the scandal-hit former leader in January after he backed the newly-formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK).
In the May 29 elections, MK cut into the ANC’s vote and came third with 14.5 percent of the vote.
The ANC won 40 percent of the vote in May’s poll – its weakest score since it came to power after ousting the apartheid government three decades ago.
The result forced him to form a coalition government with nine other parties. MK was excluded and he leads the opposition with 58 lawmakers in the 400-seat National Assembly.
MK, a populist, radical left-wing party, initially disputed the election result.
“Their platform is dangerous, it incites extremist tendencies in our politics and excites the political base, which could lead to social unrest,” Mbalula said of Zuma’s MKs.
Zuma is barred from serving as an MP due to his conviction for contempt of court in 2021.
After news of his upcoming expulsion leaked, the party strongly criticized what it called the “grave injustice against its leader”.
“An investigation into the leaked document shows that the disciplinary process was not only seriously flawed, but that it was conducted in a manner akin to a kangaroo court,” MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said.
He said Zuma would seek legal advice to decide on further action.
The former president has 21 days to appeal this decision.
Zuma joined the ANC as a teenager in 1959 through the youth league.
He was elected President of South Africa in 2009 but was forced to step down in 2018 amid corruption allegations and was replaced by his long-term rival, President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The charismatic and outspoken 82-year-old leader still wields considerable political influence in South Africa, even enjoying support from some factions of the ANC.
Many believed his political career would end when he was sentenced to 15 months in prison in June 2021 after refusing to testify before a panel investigating financial corruption and nepotism during his presidential term.
His imprisonment sparked riots that led to South Africa’s worst incident of violence since the fall of apartheid, leaving more than 350 people dead.
He spent only two months in jail and was released for health reasons, after which Ramaphosa commuted his sentence.