The African National Congress has taken the historic step of expelling former president Jacob Zuma, marking the first time the ruling party has removed a former head of state from its ranks. The decision, announced by Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula on Thursday, follows months of disciplinary proceedings over Zuma’s public criticism of ANC leadership and his association with rival political factions.
“The ANC’s constitution applies equally to all members,” Mbalula stated at Luthuli House. “Comrade Zuma’s continued actions against party unity and principles left us no alternative.” The move comes after Zuma’s growing alignment with the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party and his persistent attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.
Zuma’s supporters have condemned the expulsion as politically motivated. His MK Party faction vowed to fight the decision, calling it “an attempt to erase radical economic transformation voices from the ANC.” The former president’s loyalists, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, may now intensify efforts to challenge the ANC’s leadership ahead of 2024 elections.
Political analysts describe this as a watershed moment for the 111-year-old liberation movement. “The ANC is choosing institutional survival over personality cults,” said analyst Ralph Mathekga. “But they risk losing Zuma’s substantial grassroots support base at a precarious political moment.”
The expulsion completes Zuma’s dramatic fall from ANC leadership, having previously survived multiple corruption scandals and a 2021 jail sentence that sparked deadly riots. While the party seeks to present a unified front, the decision could deepen existing fractures within its structures.
As South Africa prepares for national elections, the ANC now faces the challenge of containing potential fallout in Zuma’s strongholds while maintaining its dominant position in the country’s politics. The former president’s next moves—whether through legal challenges or strengthened opposition alliances—could significantly reshape the political landscape.