Former South African President, Jacob Zuma’s disciplinary hearing with the African National Congress (ANC) was postponed on Wednesday for further arguments.
Zuma, 82, faces potential expulsion for campaigning against the ANC with a new political party in the national elections in May 2024. The hearing could make Zuma the first former leader to be expelled from the ANC, which he joined in the late 1950s during its fight against apartheid. Zuma did not attend Wednesday’s virtual hearing, instead being represented by an ANC official, as permitted by the party’s constitution. His new MK Party stated that Zuma is seeking an in-person, public hearing. Although the ANC denied these requests, it agreed to postpone the hearing until next Tuesday.
Zuma was forced to resign as South African president in 2018 after losing ANC support amid corruption allegations. Since then, he has been in a political conflict with President Cyril Ramaphosa, who succeeded him as both party leader and president.
In December, Zuma confirmed his split with the ANC by announcing his intention to campaign for the newly-founded MK Party in the May 29 election. Although Zuma claimed he would retain his ANC membership while leading the MK Party, the ANC suspended him in January, citing attacks on its integrity.
Zuma, often seen as a destabilizing figure in South Africa, led the MK Party to a surprising 14% of the national vote in its first election. This result contributed to the ANC losing its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994, leading to a multi-party coalition government. The MK Party has refused to join the coalition and will serve as the official opposition, becoming the third-largest party in Parliament. Parliament is set to open Thursday for a new term.
Zuma remains popular in certain parts of the country despite facing multiple legal battles. He was sentenced to prison in 2021 for contempt of court after refusing to testify at an inquiry into alleged corruption during his presidency from 2009-2018. He is scheduled to go on trial next year for separate corruption allegations from before his presidency. His prison sentence disqualified him from standing for a seat in Parliament in the May election, but he continues to be the face and leader of the MK Party.
