South Africa: Zuma calls for unity of black parties to regain power

Zuma’s call for blacks to vote for one party appears to be part of the purge of leaders of various political parties. He said the proliferation of parties made it difficult for blacks to obtain a two-thirds majority to make changes to the constitution, which would go a long way in reducing poverty in the country.

“This arrangement would not be permanent, but a temporary strategy with the sole aim of regaining power,” he explained.

In this context, it has recently emerged that Zuma attempted to merge the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party with the MK party. This attempt was clearly demonstrated in a report allegedly written by former EFF national president Dali Mpofu while he was still a member of the party. Mpofu has since left the EFF and joined the MK party.

Since then, several prominent EFF members have joined Zuma’s Party, including the party’s former deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, who now serves as MK party general secretary.

The former head of state was officially expelled last November from the African National Congress, of which he was a member for 61 years, for having created his own party in December 2023, called “uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), named of the armed wing of the ANC during the apartheid era.

The MK party became South Africa’s third political force following the recent general elections. It is ahead of the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA), both members of the national unity government formed after the election.