Former South African President Jacob Zuma has filed an urgent court application to challenge his expulsion from the African National Congress (ANC), marking a new escalation in his bitter feud with the party he once led.
The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) expelled Zuma in July 2024 after finding he violated party rules by campaigning for the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party during May’s general elections. The party deemed his actions a breach of discipline and unity.
Now leading the MK Party, Zuma claims his removal was both politically motivated and procedurally unfair. In court documents, he argues that his political beliefs remain aligned with the ANC’s original principles, while accusing current ANC leaders of being “sellouts and puppets.”
“No one can erase my decades of sacrifice for this country’s liberation,” Zuma said in an MK Party statement. “This expulsion isn’t about discipline—it’s about silencing truth-tellers.”
The MK Party, which outperformed expectations in the May elections and now holds parliamentary seats, has backed Zuma’s legal challenge. The party framed the case as part of a broader fight for “justice and ideological clarity.”
Legal experts say the case could set a precedent for how political parties handle dissent and high-profile expulsions. Zuma’s lawyers argue he was denied a fair hearing, while the ANC maintains it followed proper procedures.
The court has not yet set a hearing date, leaving the ANC—already grappling with internal divisions and coalition pressures after its worst-ever election result—facing further uncertainty.
The dispute underscores South Africa’s shifting political landscape, where former allies have become rivals, and the legacy of liberation movements is being fiercely contested in both legal and public forums.
