ANC excludes former President Jacob Zuma from its ranks

After being suspended from the African National Congress (ANC) in January 2024, former South African president Jacob Zuma has been expelled by the party’s disciplinary Committee, according to a leaked document. He was sanctioned for having led a rival party in the May 2024 legislative elections.

After suspension, exclusion: the disciplinary committee of South Africa’s ruling ANC has decided to exclude former president Jacob Zuma from its ranks for leading a rival party in the May elections, the local press reported, citing a leaked document.

“The accused member is excluded from the ANC (African National Congress),” states the document dated July 29. “The accused member has the right to appeal to the National Disciplinary Appeals Commission within 21 days.”

The sanction has not been publicly announced at this stage. Jacob Zuma had been the subject of disciplinary proceedings since July 17.

The former president had already been suspended by the ANC in January, a month after his alliance with the newly-formed uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, which he still heads.

MK came third in the election with 14.5% of the vote and 58 of the 400 seats, while the ANC scored its worst result in three decades at 40%.

Should his appeal be rejected, Jacob Zuma could see his ANC membership revoked, having joined the party in 1959 through its youth section.