CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – The African National Congress (ANC) has come out strongly against its former president, Jacob Zuma, accusing him of betraying long-held party values by siding with Morocco in the ongoing Western Sahara conflict. The ANC has historically supported the self-determination of the Sahrawi people, a stance that Zuma himself once championed while at the helm of the ruling party.
This sharp criticism follows Zuma’s recent visit to North Africa, where he expressed solidarity with Morocco regarding its control over the disputed territory of Western Sahara. The visit was made in his capacity as leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party—an emerging political force and now the official opposition in Parliament following the 2024 elections.
Speaking to journalists in Cape Town on Sunday, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula lashed out at Zuma, labelling him a “sellout” and accusing him of reversing his own past policies for political convenience.
“Zuma represents everything that is wrong and pursued by sellouts. This is a complete betrayal of our historical stance. The ANC continues to stand firmly with the Sahrawi people. Morocco must end its occupation of Western Sahara,” said Mbalula during a media briefing following a National Working Committee (NWC) meeting.
Zuma’s Policy Shift Raises Eyebrows
The public break from ANC policy marks a significant departure for Zuma, who, during his tenure as president, was an advocate for Sahrawi independence. His apparent endorsement of Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara has stunned many political analysts and former allies, who view the move as a calculated attempt to realign South Africa’s foreign policy under the banner of his new political party.
According to reports, Zuma met with Moroccan officials to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional development—a move that directly contradicts the ANC’s longstanding condemnation of Morocco’s occupation of the region.
Political commentators have suggested that Zuma’s shift is less about international diplomacy and more about differentiating the MK Party from the ANC on the global stage, especially as Zuma looks to solidify his party’s identity and win over new constituencies.
Beyond foreign policy disagreements, Mbalula used the platform to reiterate the ANC’s accusations that Zuma had effectively stolen party resources to build his breakaway movement. The ANC believes that Zuma’s actions, both domestically and internationally, are designed to weaken the movement for personal political gain.
“He will be remembered in history not as a freedom fighter, but as someone who divided our people for his own aggrandizement,” Mbalula declared. “What he is doing with the MK Party is nothing short of sabotage. It is political vandalism wrapped in nostalgia.”
The ANC maintains that Zuma used his insider knowledge and influence to draw loyalists away from the party, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, where the MK Party has built a strong base. The tension between the two parties has deepened since the elections, where the ANC lost its outright majority for the first time in democratic history.
The dispute over Western Sahara is one of Africa’s oldest territorial conflicts. The region, located in North Africa along the Atlantic coast, is claimed by both Morocco and the indigenous Sahrawi people, represented by the Polisario Front. The United Nations considers Western Sahara a “non-self-governing territory,” and decades of peace talks have yielded few results.
South Africa, under successive ANC governments, has remained a vocal supporter of the Sahrawi cause, calling for full independence and the end of Moroccan occupation. Zuma’s about-face on the issue has been met with widespread criticism from pro-Palestinian and Pan-African solidarity groups, who see the move as undermining a key struggle for African decolonization.
Despite growing condemnation, Zuma remains defiant. The MK Party has not issued a formal statement addressing the ANC’s accusations, but insiders suggest Zuma believes that South Africa’s foreign policy needs to evolve beyond historical alliances. However, his critics argue that such a pivot is opportunistic and lacks ideological consistency.
Meanwhile, the ANC has vowed to reaffirm its international solidarity positions at upcoming regional conferences and forums, including re-engaging with the African Union on the Western Sahara issue.
As the battle between Zuma and the ANC intensifies, many South Africans are left questioning the long-term consequences of political fragmentation—not only for domestic governance but for the country’s place on the international stage.
Source- EWN
