Former President Jacob Zuma has issued a fiery rebuke against any potential coalition between his uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and the African National Congress (ANC), dismissing such talks as a betrayal of South Africa’s struggle for true liberation.
Speaking at a packed MK Party rally in KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma condemned rumours that some within his party were considering an alliance with the ANC, which he accused of driving the country into “crisis and economic decline.”
VIDEO: Former President Jacob Zuma says he has heard that some members of his party want to form a coalition with the ANC, a party he says has destroyed the country. pic.twitter.com/U5wJVDRu1o
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) May 13, 2025
“I’ve heard whispers that some comrades want to take this party and work with the ANC—the same ANC that has destroyed the country, collapsed our institutions, and betrayed the revolution,” Zuma declared. “We did not form this party to return to the very problem we are fighting against.”
While not naming specific individuals, Zuma warned against MK members being lured by power-sharing arrangements, suggesting that such compromises would weaken the party’s revolutionary stance. His comments come amid growing speculation that the ANC—facing its worst electoral performance yet—may seek coalition partners after the 2024 elections.
Political analysts see the MK Party, which has gained significant traction in KwaZulu-Natal, as a potential kingmaker. However, Zuma made it clear that his movement views the ANC as irredeemable, accusing it of abandoning the poor, surrendering the economy to “white monopoly capital,” and weaponizing state institutions against critics.
“The ANC of today is not the ANC we once knew,” he said, to roaring applause. “This one has turned its back on the people.”
Zuma reaffirmed the MK Party’s commitment to radical economic transformation, including land expropriation without compensation and nationalization of key industries—policies he claims the ANC has betrayed. His uncompromising stance is likely to intensify divisions within the broader liberation movement, where some MK-aligned figures still entertain the idea of tactical cooperation with the ANC.
Political analysts react
Sipho Ndlovu, a political analyst, said Zuma’s remarks were a strategic move to consolidate his base. “This is a pre-emptive strike. Zuma is drawing a line in the sand, warning MK leaders against backroom deals with the ANC while also signalling to voters that his party is the true heir to the liberation struggle.”
With coalition negotiations expected to dominate post-election politics, Zuma’s hardline position sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown. The ANC, meanwhile, has yet to respond publicly, but insiders suggest the party is closely monitoring the MK’s growing influence.
As the 2024 elections approach, Zuma’s rhetoric ensures that the battle for South Africa’s political future will be fought not just at the ballot box—but in the fierce ideological war between the ANC and its most defiant offshoot yet.