MK Party leader Zuma still fighting to be ANC member

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uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) president Jacob Zuma has launched a court application against President Cyril Ramaphosa and his former party, the African National Congress (ANC), seeking to overturn the ANC’s decision to terminate his 65-year-long membership.

The former president argues the decision was unlawful. MK National Spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhela, said Zuma is on record saying the ANC’s “sell-out tendencies” led to the formation of the party. Ndhela said the application was launched on the Freedom Charter Day’s 70^th anniversary to serve as a reminder of the ANC’s betrayal.

“It did so by entering into the sell-out so-called GNU deal, which is nothing but a grand coalition with the right-wing DA and the Freedom Front Plus,” said Ndhela.

MK PARTY ALLOWS FOR DUAL MEMBERSHIP

The MK Party says it fully supports Zuma’s bid to hold dual membership of both MK and the ANC. Ndhela said that if the court challenge is successful, it could bring South Africa closer to what the party calls “total liberation” and the return of land to its rightful owners.

The MK Party’s constitution permits dual membership under exceptional and strategic circumstances. However, this is the case only with parties in formal alliance with the political party.

“It is against that political and strategic background that the MK Party continues not only to approve but to support the president’s fight for dual membership. Only once our people have been reunited, by any means necessary, can we talk of victory in the struggle for total liberation in our country, our continent and the diaspora,” said Ndhela.

WHY WAS ZUMA’S ANC MEMBERSHIP TERMINATED?

Zuma was removed from the party last year. The ANC said Zuma’s conduct amounted to the highest form of ill-discipline. It claimed he abandoned the organisation’s core values by forming a rival party. The party also said that, as a former president, he was expected to embody the highest standards of disciplined leadership.

The party argued that Zuma’s actions undermined its unity and cohesion. As a result, his expulsion was necessary to safeguard the ANC’s integrity.