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Former South African President Jacob Zuma was expected to undergo a disciplinary hearing with the African National Congress (ANC) party on Wednesday.

This comes after he campaigned against the ANC in the national elections held in May, leading a new political party called the MK Party.

Jacob Zuma

The disciplinary hearing could result in Zuma, aged 82, being expelled from the ANC. Zuma had been a member of the ANC since the late 1950s when it was a liberation movement fighting against apartheid. He served as South African president until 2018 when he resigned amidst corruption allegations.

Since then, he has been in conflict with President Cyril Ramaphosa, who succeeded him both as the party leader and the country’s president.

Zuma publicly broke ties with the ANC in December when he announced his leadership of the MK Party and campaigned against the ANC in the May elections.

He has been highly critical of Ramaphosa, accusing him of treason on occasion. Despite leading the MK Party, Zuma initially stated he would retain his ANC membership, but the ANC suspended him in January, citing attacks on the party’s integrity.

It is unclear whether Zuma will attend the disciplinary hearing at the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg, with MK Party officials stating his preference for an in-person hearing and the ANC leaning towards a virtual session.

Zuma remains a controversial and influential figure in South Africa. His MK Party surprisingly garnered 14% of the national vote in the May elections, contributing to the ANC losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since apartheid ended in 1994.

This outcome led to the formation of a multi-party coalition government, with the MK Party declining to join the coalition and opting to become the official opposition as the third-largest party in Parliament.

Despite facing multiple legal challenges, including a prison sentence in 2021 for contempt of court, Zuma retains popularity in certain parts of the country.

He is scheduled to face trial next year on separate corruption charges dating back to his time before becoming president.

Zuma’s ongoing influence and legal battles underscore the complex political landscape in South Africa as it navigates post-apartheid challenges.

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Theresa Anyanwu

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