This is an accepted version of this page
164-534: African National Congress uMkhonto weSizwe President (2009–2018) President of the African National Congress (2007–2017) Deputy President (1999–2005) Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma ( Zulu: [geɮʱejiɬeˈkisa ˈzʱuma] ; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan names Nxamalala and Msholozi . Zuma
328-732: A broad church , and, like many dominant parties , resembles a catch-all party , accommodating a range of ideological tendencies. As Mandela told the Washington Post in 1990: The ANC has never been a political party. It was formed as a parliament of the African people. Right from the start, up to now, the ANC is a coalition, if you want, of people of various political affiliations. Some will support free enterprise , others socialism . Some are conservatives , others are liberals . We are united solely by our determination to oppose racial oppression . That
492-654: A domino effect on the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions, which have floundered and fractured in the face of damaging charges against a man they ardently backed as the country's next president. The trial has been fought against the backdrop of a bitter succession war between Mbeki and Zuma. Both have been fatally wounded. Mbeki's support in the ANC has crumbled... But even Zuma's most diehard supporters privately acknowledge that he cannot now be president... By early 2006 during
656-456: A neoliberal policy, and it was disowned by both COSATU and the SACP. While some analysts viewed Mbeki's economic policy as undertaking the uncomfortable macroeconomic adjustments necessary for long-term growth, others – notably Patrick Bond – viewed it as a reflection of the ANC's failure to implement genuinely radical transformation after 1994. Debate about ANC commitment to redistribution on
820-586: A South African High Court, and just after Judge President Dunstan Mlambo ordered al-Bashir's arrest, the state's lawyer told the court that he had left the country. His plane left from Waterkloof Air Force Base , presumably with the government's knowledge and reportedly with Zuma's explicit approval. When it was criticised for this breach, the South African government argued that the ICC was used unfairly against African heads of state while failing to hold Western leaders to
984-591: A campaign of sabotage and guerrilla warfare against the apartheid state, carried out under its military wing, uMkhonto we Sizwe , which was founded in 1961 in partnership with the South African Communist Party (SACP). The ANC was condemned as a terrorist organisation by the governments of South Africa, the United States , and the United Kingdom . However, it positioned itself as a key player in
1148-599: A formal member of BRIC, which was then renamed BRICS , and Zuma attended the group's third summit meeting in Sanya , China, in 2011. South Africa's admission followed a concerted campaign for membership and has been described as "a huge diplomatic coup" and "the most important foreign policy achievement of the Zuma administration". During South Africa's tenure on the United Nations Security Council , Zuma's administration
1312-481: A former member of the SACP, Zuma has described himself as a socialist and became president with the support of a left-wing coalition. Analysts have claimed that he has bolstered populism in South Africa. From 2017, at the tail-end of his presidency, his rhetoric and policy priorities became more leftist under what is known as the "radical economic transformation" (RET) programme of the ANC of this period. Zuma announced
1476-615: A judge from office for "misbehaviour or incapacity" if both the Senate and the House of Assembly submitted addresses to him, during the same session of parliament, asking him to do so. 1994-1997 : the president could remove a judge from office for "misbehaviour, incapacity or incompetence", if both the National Assembly and the Senate requested him to do so, after considering a report from
1640-549: A large margin. He held both positions until 1997, having been re-elected provincial chairperson in 1996. Zuma was elected deputy president of the ANC at the party's 50th National Conference in Mafikeng in December 1997, and was subsequently appointed deputy president of South Africa in June 1999, pursuant to the 1999 general election . Zuma served under newly elected President Mbeki and was
1804-506: A leadership vote in 1985. Also notable about this period was the extremely close relationship between the ANC and the reconstituted South African Communist Party (SACP), which was also in exile. In 1961, partly in response to the Sharpeville massacre, leaders of the SACP and the ANC formed a military body, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK, Spear of the Nation ), as a vehicle for armed struggle against
SECTION 10
#17328453858581968-501: A leading example of the triumph of humanity over adversity. The exemplary role of the collective leadership of the Communist Party of China in this regard should be a guiding lodestar of our own struggle. Towards the end of Jacob Zuma 's presidency, an ANC faction aligned to Zuma pioneered a new policy platform referred to as radical economic transformation (RET). Zuma announced the new focus on RET during his February 2017 State of
2132-487: A lifelong member of the ANC, he would not be campaigning for the ANC in the 2024 South African general election , and would instead be voting for MK. In July 2024, Jacob Zuma was expelled from the ANC, because of campaigning for a rival party ( MK party ) in the 29 May general election. Under the ANC constitution, every member of the ANC belongs to a local branch, and branch members select the organisation's policies and leaders. They do so primarily by electing delegates to
2296-560: A memorandum of understanding to train ANC members in China. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC have not condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine , and have faced criticism from opposition parties, public commentators, academics, civil society organisations, and former ANC members due to this. The ANC youth wing has meanwhile condemned sanctions against Russia and denounced NATO's eastward expansion as "fascistic". Officials representing
2460-544: A nuclear deal with Russian nuclear agency Rosatom which concluded in September 2014 but was ruled unlawful by the Western Cape High Court in 2017. Zuma's administration pursued a number of structural economic policy reforms, but critics characterised them as "investor-unfriendly", and most were met significant opposition. His reforms included the increased regulation of private security companies . He also increased
2624-481: A presidential pardon in April 2008 when Mbeki was president, and he continued to lobby for a pardon during Zuma's presidency, saying it was unfair that he had been convicted while neither Zuma nor the implicated arms company had been taken to trial. The ANC won the national election on 22 April 2009 by a slightly diminished majority of 65.90%, with Zuma having campaigned under the theme "Continuity and Change". His appointment
2788-506: A protracted dispute, did so, and was replaced by newly elected ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe , who led an interim administration while Zuma campaigned for the 2009 election. In January 2009, the Supreme Court of Appeal found that the charges against Zuma were not unlawful, contrary to the ruling of the lower court. However, the NPA formally withdrew the charges in the same week that Zuma
2952-600: A provincial legislature may remove the province's premier from office for "a serious violation of the Constitution or the law", "serious misconduct" or "inability to perform the functions of office". A two-thirds majority is required. A premier who is removed may not receive any benefits of that office, and may not serve in any public office. 1994-1997 : the president could remove the Public Protector from office for "misbehaviour, incapacity or incompetence", if both
3116-539: A series of bilateral accords with the government establishing a mutual commitment to negotiations. Importantly, the Pretoria Minute of August 1990 included a commitment by the ANC to unilaterally suspend its armed struggle. This made possible the multi-party Convention for a Democratic South Africa and later the Multi-Party Negotiating Forum, in which the ANC was regarded as the main representative of
3280-552: A showerhead in Zapiro cartoons. Although Zuma had been fired as national deputy president, he retained the ANC deputy presidency, and internal factions began to coalesce around him and Mbeki. Between 2005 and 2007, their rivalry deepened into what Susan Booysen called "a brutal and all-consuming disagreement between two major ANC groupings". Although the corruption and rape allegations were considered politically damaging, Zuma continued to enjoy considerable support from left-wing elements of
3444-474: A socialist scale has continued: in 2013, the country's largest trade union, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa , withdrew its support for the ANC on the basis that "the working class cannot any longer see the ANC or the SACP as its class allies in any meaningful sense". It is evident, however, that the ANC never embraced free-market capitalism , and continued to favour a mixed economy : even as
SECTION 20
#17328453858583608-469: A strong preference for a significant degree of state intervention in the economy . The ANC's first comprehensive articulation of its post-apartheid economic policy framework was set out in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) document of 1994, which became its electoral manifesto and also, under the same name, the flagship policy of Nelson Mandela's government . The RDP aimed both to redress
3772-528: A surge in trade union activity and by the formation in 1944 of the left-wing ANC Youth League under a new generation of activists, among them Walter Sisulu , Nelson Mandela , and Oliver Tambo . After the National Party was elected into government in 1948 on a platform of apartheid , entailing the further institutionalisation of racial segregation , this new generation pushed for a Programme of Action which explicitly advocated African nationalism and led
3936-463: A week after the Polokwane conference, the NPA reinstated charges against Zuma and served him an indictment to stand trial on 12 fraud charges, two corruption charges, and one charge each of racketeering and money laundering . According to the Constitution, he would have been rendered ineligible for the national presidency had he been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment. However, on 12 September 2008,
4100-650: A wide audience during apartheid. " Amandla ngawethu ", or the Sotho variant "Matla ke arona", is a common rallying call at ANC meetings, roughly meaning " power to the people ". It is also common for meetings to sing so-called struggle songs, which were sung during anti-apartheid meetings and in MK camps. In the case of at least two of these songs – Dubula ibhunu and Umshini wami – this has caused controversy in recent years. The ANC has received criticism from both internal and external sources. Internally Mandela publicly criticized
4264-419: A woman that they mistook for her. By October 2008, Zuma had been acquitted of rape and was no longer subject to corruption charges. However, this did little to lighten the rivalry between Mbeki and Zuma. A Mail & Guardian analysis stated: The political damage [of events of recent months] is incalculable, with the ruling African National Congress now an openly divided and faltering movement. This has had
4428-561: Is a member of the Socialist International , and its close partner the SACP traditionally conceives itself as a vanguard party . Specifically, and as implied by the 1969 document, NDR doctrine entails that the transformation of the domestic political system (national struggle, in Joe Slovo 's phrase) is a precondition for a socialist revolution (class struggle). The concept remained important to ANC intellectuals and strategists after
4592-412: Is considered a dominant-party state . However, the ANC's electoral majority has declined consistently since 2004, and in the 2021 local elections , its share of the national vote dropped below 50% for the first time ever. Over the last decade, the party has been embroiled in a number of controversies, particularly relating to widespread allegations of political corruption among its members. Following
4756-413: Is overseen by so-called list committees and tends to involve a degree of broad democratic participation, especially at the local level, where ANC branches vote to nominate candidates for the local government elections. Between 2003 and 2008, the ANC also gained a significant number of members through the controversial floor crossing process, which occurred especially at the local level. The leaders of
4920-439: Is the only thing that unites us. There is no question of ideology as far as the odyssey of the ANC is concerned, because any question approaching ideology would split the organization from top to bottom. Because we have no connection whatsoever except at this one, of our determination to dismantle apartheid. The post-apartheid ANC continues to identify itself foremost as a liberation movement , pursuing "the complete liberation of
5084-879: The Sunday Times (R6 million), the Citizen (R5 million), the Sunday Sun (R5 million), the Sunday Independent (R5 million), and the Sunday World (R5 million). Zuma said in 2005: For a period of five years my person has been subjected to all types of allegations and innuendo, paraded through the media and other corridors of influence without these allegations having being [ sic ] tested. I have thereby been denied my constitutional right to reply and defend myself. In December 2008, Zuma sued Zapiro for R7 million over his controversial rape of Lady Justice cartoon, bringing
Jacob Zuma - Misplaced Pages Continue
5248-608: The 2009 general election and took office on 9 May. The criminal charges against him were formally withdrawn the same week. As president, he launched the R4-trillion National Infrastructure Plan and signed a controversial nuclear power deal with the Russian government, which was blocked by the Western Cape High Court in 2017. As a former member of the South African Communist Party , he increasingly relied on left-wing populist rhetoric, and in his 2017 State of
5412-579: The 2024 general election , the ANC lost its majority in parliament for the first time in South Africa's democratic history. It still remains the largest party however, with under 41% of the vote. The party also lost its majority in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Gauteng and Northern Cape. Despite these setbacks, the ANC retained power at the national level through a grand coalition referred to as the Government of National Unity , including parties which together have 72% of
5576-527: The 54th National Conference in 2017, the ANC endorsed a number of policy principles advocated by RET supporters, including their proposal to pursue land expropriation without compensation as a matter of national policy. The ANC has long had close ties with China and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), with the CCP having supported ANC's struggle of apartheid since 1961. In 2008, the two parties signed
5740-523: The BRICS grouping has been described as a major triumph for Zuma, and he has been praised for his HIV/AIDS policy. Zuma's presidency was beset by controversy, especially during his second term. In 2014, the Public Protector found that Zuma had improperly benefited from state expenditure on upgrades to his Nkandla homestead , and in 2016, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma had failed to uphold
5904-517: The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). However, once negotiations resumed, they resulted in November 1993 in an interim Constitution , which governed South Africa's first democratic elections on 27 April 1994. In the elections, the ANC won an overwhelming 62.65% majority of the vote. Mandela was elected president and formed a coalition Government of National Unity , which, under the provisions of
6068-640: The Judicial Service Commission . 1997-date : the president may remove a judge from office if (a) the Judicial Service Commission finds that the judge "suffers from an incapacity, is grossly incompetent or is guilty of gross misconduct", and (b) the National Assembly resolves, by a two-thirds majority, that the judge be removed. In 2022, two High Court judges, retired Judge Nkola Motata and Judge President John Hlophe of
6232-534: The National Conference , which is currently convened every five years. Between conferences, the organisation is led by its 86-member National Executive Committee , which is elected at each conference. The most senior members of the National Executive Committee are the so-called Top Six officials, the ANC president primary among them. A symmetrical process occurs at the subnational levels: each of
6396-463: The National Party government came to power in 1948 , the ANC's central purpose became to oppose the new government's policy of institutionalised apartheid . To this end, its methods and means of organisation shifted; its adoption of the techniques of mass politics , and the swelling of its membership, culminated in the Defiance Campaign of civil disobedience in 1952–53. The ANC was banned by
6560-518: The Oilgate scandal, in which millions of Rand in funds from a state-owned company were funnelled into ANC coffers. The ANC has also been accused of using government and civil society to fight its political battles against opposition parties such as the Democratic Alliance . The result has been a number of complaints and allegations that none of the political parties truly represent the interests of
6724-491: The Public Protector and the Auditor-General . Since 1997, members of certain commissions established by the Constitution can also be impeached. The grounds for impeachment, and the procedures to be followed, have changed several times over the years. Impeachment proceedings were first invoked in the 2010s : 1910-1994 : the governor-general-in-council (until 1961) or state president (from 1961) could remove
Jacob Zuma - Misplaced Pages Continue
6888-729: The Rivonia trial and Little Rivonia trial . From around 1963, the ANC effectively abandoned much of even its underground presence inside South Africa and operated almost entirely from its external mission, with headquarters first in Morogoro, Tanzania , and later in Lusaka, Zambia . For the entirety of its time in exile, the ANC was led by Tambo – first de facto , with president Albert Luthuli under house arrest in Zululand ; then in an acting capacity, after Luthuli's death in 1967; and, finally, officially, after
7052-472: The Sharpeville massacre occurred on 21 March 1960. In the aftermath, the ANC was banned by the South African government. It was not unbanned until February 1990, almost three decades later. After its banning in April 1960, the ANC was driven underground, a process hastened by a barrage of government banning orders , by an escalation of state repression, and by the imprisonment of senior ANC leaders pursuant to
7216-534: The South African Development Community (SADC) should "force" Zimbabwean leaders to reach an agreement, if necessary. In 2010, Zuma called for international sanctions against Mugabe and his allies to be lifted. After a March 2013 meeting with Mugabe in Pretoria , he highlighted the commonalities between his and Mugabe's political parties, telling the press, "We share the same values, we went through
7380-498: The Volksraad (legislature) could impeach the state president and other public officers for "treason, bribery, and other high misdemeanours." A three-quarters majority vote was required. The Volksraad's sanction was limited to dismissing the incumbent from office and declaring him unfit to hold any office under the government, but the dismissed president or official remained liable to be prosecuted according to law. The Constitution of
7544-433: The conservative , educated, and religious professional classes of black South African society. Although they would not take part, Xhosa chiefs would show huge support for the organisation; as a result, King Jongilizwe donated 50 cows to during its founding. Around 1920, in a partial shift away from its early focus on the "politics of petitioning", the ANC developed a programme of passive resistance directed primarily at
7708-553: The debt-to-GDP ratio increasing from 28% at the start of his presidency to just over 50% in the week of his resignation. Nedbank , one of South Africa's largest banks, estimates that poor policy decisions, maladministration, and corruption during Zuma's second term alone cost the South African economy R470 billion (US$ 33.7 billion). Contracts with the consulting firms McKinsey & Company , KPMG , and Deloitte were linked to alleged corruption in state-owned enterprises . McKinsey & Company eventually reached an agreement with
7872-441: The executive in each sphere of government – the president , the provincial premiers , and the mayors – are indirectly elected after each election. In practice, the selection of ANC candidates for these positions is highly centralised, with the ANC caucus voting together to elect a pre-decided candidate. Although the ANC does not always announce whom its caucuses intend to elect, the National Assembly has thus far always elected
8036-499: The freedom of the press . Opposition to the bill included otherwise ANC-aligned groups such as COSATU . Notably, Nelson Mandela and other Nobel laureates Nadine Gordimer , Archbishop Desmond Tutu , and F. W. de Klerk have expressed disappointment with the bill for not meeting standards of constitutionality and aspirations for freedom of information and expression. The ANC have been criticised for its role in failing to prevent 16 August 2012 massacre of Lonmin miners at Marikana in
8200-462: The negotiations to end apartheid , which began in earnest after the ban was repealed in 1990. For much of that time, the ANC leadership, along with many of its most active members, operated from abroad. After the Soweto Uprising of 1976, the ANC remained committed to achieving its objectives through armed struggle, led by its military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe. These circumstances significantly shaped
8364-472: The 1970s, conditions for armed struggle soon improved considerably, especially after the Soweto uprising of 1976 in South Africa saw thousands of students – inspired by Black Consciousness ideas – cross the borders to seek military training. MK guerrilla activity inside South Africa increased steadily over this period, with one estimate recording an increase from 23 incidents in 1977 to 136 incidents in 1985. In
SECTION 50
#17328453858588528-689: The 1976 Soweto uprising . He became a full member of the ANC National Executive Committee in 1977, and a member of the ANC's Politico-Military Council when it was formed in 1983. He was also Deputy Chief Representative of the ANC in Mozambique, a post he occupied until the signing of the Nkomati Accord between the Mozambican and South African governments in 1984. After the Accord was signed, he
8692-539: The ANC National Executive Committee recalled Zuma. After a fifth vote of no confidence in Parliament , he resigned on 14 February 2018 and was replaced by Ramaphosa the next day. Shortly after his resignation, on 16 March 2018, the National Prosecuting Authority announced that it would reinstate corruption charges against Zuma in relation to the 1999 Arms Deal. He pleaded not guilty on 26 May 2021, but
8856-466: The ANC Youth League acted as international observers for Russia's staged referendum to annex Ukrainian territory conquered during the war. In February 2024 ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula attend a "forum on combating Western neocolonialism" hosted by Russia, thereby drawing further criticism for the party's perceived support for Russia's invasion. The ANC had received large donations from
9020-494: The ANC chastised those who had booed, saying they had embarrassed the country. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was criticised for having cut away from the booing in its live broadcast of the memorial. African National Congress The African National Congress ( ANC ) is a political party in South Africa . It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed
9184-552: The ANC during its years in exile. In the post-apartheid era, the ANC continues to identify itself foremost as a liberation movement , although it is also a registered political party. Partly due to its Tripartite Alliance with the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions , it had retained a comfortable electoral majority at the national level and in most provinces, and has provided each of South Africa's five presidents since 1994. South Africa
9348-483: The ANC leadership condemned. Zuma became known for singing the apartheid-era struggle song " Umshini wami " (English: Bring Me My Machine Gun ) with his supporters during these informal rallies. Likewise, during the rape trial, Zuma supporters gathered outside the courthouse and sometimes clashed with smaller groups of anti-rape protesters. Zuma supporters were seen carrying posters questioning Khwezi's integrity, burning photos of her, and on one occasion throwing stones at
9512-430: The ANC president as the national president. The ANC has adhered to a formal policy of cadre deployment since 1985. In the post-apartheid era, the policy includes but is not exhausted by selection of candidates for elections and government positions: it also entails that the central organisation "deploys" ANC members to various other strategic positions in the party, state, and economy. The ANC prides itself on being
9676-498: The ANC president to publish annually a so-called January 8 Statement: a reflective letter sent to members on 8 January, the anniversary of the organisation's founding. In earlier years, the ANC published a range of periodicals , the most important of which was the monthly journal Sechaba (1967–1990), printed in the German Democratic Republic and banned by the apartheid government. The ANC's Radio Freedom also gained
9840-600: The ANC reduced its presence inside South Africa, however, MK cadres were increasingly confined to training camps in Tanzania and neighbouring countries – with such exceptions as the Wankie Campaign , a momentous military failure. In 1969, Tambo was compelled to call the landmark Morogoro Conference to address the grievances of the rank-and-file, articulated by Chris Hani in a memorandum which depicted MK's leadership as corrupt and complacent. Although MK's malaise persisted into
10004-595: The ANC was attracting individuals who viewed the party as "a route to power and self-enrichment." He added that the ANC leadership "did not know how to deal with this problem." During a lecture on 10 December, Mbeki reiterated concerns about "careerists" within the party, and stressed the need to "purge itself of such members". In May 2024, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in association with amaBhungane showed in documents that R200 million in
SECTION 60
#173284538585810168-479: The ANC was banned. That year, he was arrested with a group of 45 recruits near Zeerust in western Transvaal , currently part of the North West Province . Zuma was convicted of conspiring to overthrow the apartheid government and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, which he served on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela and other notable ANC leaders also imprisoned during that time. While imprisoned, Zuma
10332-500: The ANC was unbanned, but has deeper historical roots: the SACP had worked closely with the ANC in exile, and COSATU had aligned itself with the Freedom Charter and Congress Alliance in 1987. The membership and leadership of the three organisations has traditionally overlapped significantly. The alliance constitutes a de facto electoral coalition: the SACP and COSATU do not contest in government elections, but field candidates through
10496-530: The ANC's 54th National Conference in December 2017, he unilaterally announced that higher education would be free for students in households whose income was less than R 350,000 per year, meeting a central demand of the #FeesMustFall student protests. South Africa's social grants programme expanded under Zuma, and Zuma was praised for his HIV/AIDS policy which has been credited with increasing life expectancy in South Africa. However, his critics claim that his policies increased South Africa's debt burden with
10660-423: The ANC's Tripartite Alliance partner COSATU urged Zuma to disclose his interests, and the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) called for an investigation by the Public Protector . ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu explained that Zuma constituted a "special case" because of his "large family", which complicated the process. The ANC distanced itself from Sokutu's statement and Zuma filed the disclosure later that week. As
10824-529: The ANC's Zulu support base in Natal. At the ANC's July 1991 elective conference , Zuma stood for the post of ANC Secretary-General and lost to Cyril Ramaphosa , but was elected Deputy Secretary-General, comfortably beating Alfred Nzo and Popo Molefe in a vote. In the 1994 general election , South Africa's first democratic election, Zuma stood as the ANC's candidate for the premiership of his newly constituted home province, KwaZulu-Natal . The ANC rose to power in
10988-662: The ANC's election fund was siphoned off to the church of controversial archbishop Bheki Lukhele in Eswatini; the Chief Financial Officer of the ANC, Bongani Mahlalela along with the Ambassador of Eswatini to Belgium, Sibusisiwe Mngomezulu , were implicated in the scheme. In late 2011 the ANC was heavily criticised over the passage of the Protection of State Information Bill , which opponents claimed would improperly restrict
11152-416: The ANC, as it was no longer the party that he and Nelson Mandela fought for. He stated that the party had lost its way, and was in danger of becoming a corrupt entity in power. Impeachment in South Africa Impeachment in South Africa is the process by which the legislative body of the Republic of South Africa addresses legal charges against a government official. When the Union of South Africa
11316-524: The ANC, especially the ANC Youth League under Fikile Mbalula , and from the ANC's partners in the Tripartite Alliance , the SACP, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Blade Nzimande of the SACP and Zwelinzima Vavi of COSATU were among Zuma's chief organisers and most vocal supporters (though both recanted their support years later). Vavi and Youth League leader Julius Malema later said that they were prepared to "kill for Zuma". Nzimande and his SACP comrade Gwede Mantashe warned that
11480-424: The ANC, for the first time, to the sustained use of mass mobilisation techniques like strikes, stay-aways, and boycotts. This culminated in the 1952–53 Defiance Campaign , a campaign of mass civil disobedience organised by the ANC, the Indian Congress , and the coloured Franchise Action Council in protest of six apartheid laws. The ANC's membership swelled. In June 1955, it was one of the groups represented at
11644-499: The ANC, hold senior positions in the ANC, and influence party policy. However, the SACP, in particular, has frequently threatened to field its own candidates, and in 2017 it did so for the first time, running against the ANC in by-elections in the Metsimaholo municipality, Free State . Under South Africa's closed- list proportional representation electoral system, parties have immense power in selecting candidates for legislative bodies. The ANC's internal candidate selection process
11808-500: The Assad regime after the 2014 Syrian presidential election . The administration also appeared to vacillate in its response to the disputed 2010 presidential election in Côte d'Ivoire. In Zimbabwe, Mbeki had advocated for non-confrontational "quiet diplomacy" as an alternative to the "megaphone diplomacy" used by Western governments that harshly criticised Robert Mugabe 's regime. This approach
11972-475: The Assembly and the Senate requested him to do so, after considering a report from a joint committee. 1997-date : the president must remove the public protector if a committee of the National Assembly finds him or her guilty of "misconduct, incapacity or incompetence", and the Assembly resolves that he or she be removed. A two-thirds majority is required. In 2023, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane became
12136-562: The Constitution, leading to calls for his resignation and a failed impeachment attempt in the National Assembly . By early 2016, there were also widespread allegations, later investigated by the Zondo Commission , that the Gupta family had acquired immense corrupt influence over Zuma's administration, amounting to state capture . Several weeks after Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected to succeed Zuma as ANC president in December 2017,
12300-595: The House of Assembly alone. The same procedure applied to the removal of the Vice State President. 1984-1994 : an electoral college, consisting of delegates from the House of Assembly and the new House of Representatives and House of Delegates , could remove the State President from office for "misconduct or inability to perform efficiently the duties of his office". The procedure required (a) at least half
12464-516: The Nation address he announced a new policy of "radical economic transformation". Among the few policies implemented before the end of his presidency were land expropriation without compensation , free higher education , a series of attempted structural reforms in key sectors involving restrictions on foreign ownership, and more stringent black economic empowerment requirements. In the international arena, Zuma emphasised South-South cooperation and economic diplomacy . The admission of South Africa to
12628-427: The Nation address, and later that year, explaining that it had been adopted as ANC policy and therefore as government policy, defined it as entailing "fundamental change in the structures, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership and control of the economy, in favour of all South Africans, especially the poor". Arguments for RET were closely associated with the rhetorical concept of white monopoly capital . At
12792-589: The Northwest. Some allege that Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa gave the go ahead for the police action against the miners on that day. Commissioner Phiyega of the ANC came under further criticism as being insensitive and uncaring when she was caught smiling and laughing during the Farlam Commission 's video playback of the massacre. In 2014, Archbishop Desmond Tutu announced that he could no longer bring himself to vote for
12956-514: The People campaign and therefore symbolises a united and non-racial movement for freedom and equality. The logo uses the same colours as the ANC flag, which comprises three horizontal stripes of equal width in black, green and gold. The black symbolises the native people of South Africa; the green represents the land of South Africa; and the gold represents the country's mineral and other natural wealth. The black, green and gold tricolour also appeared on
13120-462: The Public Protector's provisional report had been leaked the previous week, or to dissatisfaction with Zuma's administration more generally. Others suggested that the booing reflected frustration with the lack of socioeconomic change under the ANC government since Mandela's presidency, or that it reflected enduring divisions within the ANC; the crowd also chanted Mbeki's name. In a public statement,
13284-460: The Putin linked Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg , whilst the party's investment arm, Chancellor House , has a joint investment with Vekselberg in a South African manganese mine. The logo of the ANC incorporates a spear and shield – symbolising the historical and ongoing struggle, armed and otherwise, against colonialism and racial oppression – and a wheel, which is borrowed from the 1955 Congress of
13448-537: The R30-billion Arms Deal , a major defence procurement package which the government had signed months after Zuma's appointment to the deputy presidency. In August 2003, however, National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Bulelani Ngcuka told the media that the NPA had a "prima facie case of corruption" against Zuma but had decided not to prosecute on the basis that the case was unlikely to be won. A highly public spat ensued between Zuma allies and Ngcuka, who
13612-555: The Republic of Congo and Rwanda. A few whites lost their lives in Zimbabwe, unfortunately, and already the West is bent out of shape. By December 2007, Zuma was more forthcoming in criticising Zimbabwe's leadership, contrasting his own policy to Mbeki's, and observing that it was "tragic that other world leaders who witness repression pretend it is not happening, or is exaggerated". He was critical of
13776-627: The Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities , the Commission for Gender Equality or the Electoral Commission from office if a committee of the National Assembly finds him or her guilty of "misconduct, incapacity or incompetence", and the Assembly resolves that he or she be removed. A simple majority is required. The Constitution of the Orange Free State republic provided that
13940-436: The South African government and paid back R1 Billion (US$ 67.3 million) for problems relating to work done at Eskom , as well as a company linked to the Gupta family . In January 2022 the South African government published the findings of an inquiry into state capture and the consultancy firm Bain & Company stands accused of helping Zuma to undermine the South African tax authority. Zuma's first state visit as president
14104-411: The South African government between April 1960 – shortly after the Sharpeville massacre – and February 1990. During this period, despite periodic attempts to revive its domestic political underground, the ANC was forced into exile by increasing state repression, which saw many of its leaders imprisoned on Robben Island . Headquartered in Lusaka, Zambia , the exiled ANC dedicated much of its attention to
14268-454: The Speaker to appoint a joint committee; (b) the House to resolve to appoint the committee; (c) the Senate to concur with the resolution, (d) the committee to submit a report; and (e) each House to resolve, in the same session of parliament, to remove the State President from office. 1981-1984 : following the abolition of the Senate, the power to impeach the State President was vested in
14432-465: The Western Cape division, Cape Town were recommended for removal by the National Assembly by its Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services. 1961-1980 : the Senate and House of Assembly could remove the State President from office for "misconduct or inability to perform efficiently the duties of his office". The procedure required (a) at least thirty members of the House to petition
14596-507: The Zimbabwean government's behaviour during the disputed March 2008 elections in Zimbabwe and called the delays "suspicious". In a press conference on 24 June he said, "We cannot agree with ZANU-PF. We cannot agree with them on values. We fought for the right of people to vote, we fought for democracy." At an ANC dinner in July, he rebuked Mugabe for refusing to step down, and in November he said that
14760-537: The apartheid state. Initially, MK was not an official ANC body, nor had it been directly established by the ANC National Executive: it was considered an autonomous organisation, until such time as the ANC formally recognised it as its armed wing in October 1962. In the first half of the 1960s, MK was preoccupied with a campaign of sabotage attacks, especially bombings of unoccupied government installations. As
14924-412: The black majority even within a market-capitalist scheme. We must develop the capacity of government for strategic intervention in social and economic development. We must increase the capacity of the public sector to deliver improved and extended public services to all the people of South Africa. – 1994 Reconstruction and Development Programme Since 1994, consecutive ANC governments have held
15088-409: The border to target ANC members and ANC bases, as in the 1981 raid on Maputo , 1983 raid on Maputo , and 1985 raid on Gaborone . During this period, MK activities led the governments of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan to condemn the ANC as a terrorist organisation. In fact, neither the ANC nor Mandela were removed from the U.S. terror watch list until 2008. The animosity of Western regimes
15252-504: The charges were declared unlawful on a technicality. The presiding judge also expressed a belief that the charges had been the result of a political conspiracy against Zuma. Although this judgement was later overturned by the appellate court, the Zuma-aligned ANC National Executive , as elected at the Polokwane conference, immediately "recalled" Mbeki, asking him to resign as national president. Mbeki, seeking to avoid
15416-638: The chief mediator in the Burundi peace process, in which he worked with Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni , who chaired the Great Lakes Regional Initiative, a grouping of regional presidents overseeing the peace process in Burundi. In late 2002, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced that Zuma was one of several ANC politicians under investigation by the Scorpions for corruption related to
15580-517: The conviction of Zuma's associate, Schabir Shaik , for making underhanded payments to Zuma in relation to the Arms Deal. Mbeki told a joint sitting of Parliament that "in the interest of the honourable Deputy President, the government, our young democratic system and our country, it would be best to release the honourable Jacob Zuma from his responsibilities". Zuma also resigned as a member of Parliament. His successor as deputy president of South Africa
15744-404: The corruption trial would endanger public stability if it went ahead, although there were reports that support for Zuma had caused a rift within the SACP. While Zuma's political strength was at least partly based on his relationships within intra-party politics and Mbeki's lack of popularity with the left wing, he also had a large Zulu support base, and one analyst argued that his supporters' loyalty
15908-457: The country from all forms of discrimination and national oppression". It also continues to claim the Freedom Charter of 1955 as "the basic policy document of the ANC". However, as NEC member Jeremy Cronin noted in 2007, the various broad principles of the Freedom Charter have been given different interpretations, and emphasised to differing extents, by different groups within the organisation. Nonetheless, some basic commonalities are visible in
16072-624: The country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election resulted in Nelson Mandela being elected as President of South Africa . Cyril Ramaphosa , the incumbent national President, has served as President of the ANC since 18 December 2017. Founded on 8 January 1912 in Bloemfontein as the South African Native National Congress , the organisation was formed to advocate for the rights of black South Africans . When
16236-473: The debate over GEAR raged, the ANC declared itself (in 2004) a social-democratic party, and it was at that time presiding over phenomenal expansions of its black economic empowerment programme and the system of social grants . As its name suggests, the RDP emphasised state-led development – that is, a developmental state – which the ANC has typically been cautious, at least in its rhetoric, to distinguish from
16400-515: The elections, with Mandela elected president and Mbeki his deputy, but lost KwaZulu-Natal to the IFP. Zuma became a member of the executive council (MEC) for economic affairs and tourism in KwaZulu-Natal. In December 1994, he was elected ANC provincial chairperson for KwaZulu-Natal, and at the ANC's 1994 elective conference he was elected national chairperson, beating Pallo Jordan and Jeff Radebe by
16564-446: The end of apartheid. Indeed, the pursuit of the NDR is one of the primary objectives of the ANC as set out in its constitution. As with the Freedom Charter, the ambiguity of the NDR has allowed it to bear varying interpretations. For example, whereas SACP theorists tend to emphasise the anti-capitalist character of the NDR, some ANC policymakers have construed it as implying the empowerment of
16728-413: The expansion and entrenchment of pass laws . When Josiah Gumede took over as ANC president in 1927, he advocated for a strategy of mass mobilisation and cooperation with the Communist Party , but was voted out of office in 1930 and replaced with the traditionalist Seme, whose leadership saw the ANC's influence wane. In the 1940s, Alfred Bitini Xuma revived some of Gumede's programmes, assisted by
16892-514: The favourite to win the presidency and became the ANC's presidential candidate in the 2009 elections . While the ANC was extremely likely to win regardless of its candidate, there were reports that Zuma's support base and left-wing alliances unnerved international and domestic investors. On 18 December 2007, at the ANC's 52nd National Conference in Polokwane, Limpopo , Zuma was elected ANC president, beating Mbeki with 2,329 votes to 1,505. Just over
17056-531: The first head of a Chapter 9 institution to be impeached. 1994-1997 : the procedure was the same as that for removing the Public Protector. 1997-date : the procedure is the same as that for removing the Public Protector. 1997-date : the president must remove a member of the South African Human Rights Commission , the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of
17220-566: The flag of the KwaZulu bantustan and appears on the flag of the ANC's rival, the IFP; and all three colours appear in the post-apartheid South African national flag . Since 1996, the ANC Department of Political Education has published the quarterly Umrabulo political discussion journal; and ANC Today , a weekly online newsletter, was launched in 2001 to offset the alleged bias of the press. In addition, since 1972, it has been traditional for
17384-418: The former South African President, was charged with fraud, bribery and corruption in the Arms Deal, but the charges were subsequently withdrawn by the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa due to their delay in prosecution. The ANC has also been criticised for its subsequent abolition of the Scorpions , the multidisciplinary agency that investigated and prosecuted organised crime and corruption, and
17548-536: The functions of office". A two-thirds majority is required. A president who is removed may not receive any benefits of that office, and may not serve in any public office. President Jacob Zuma came close to facing an impeachment vote in 2016 over the abuse of taxpayer funds to build his personal home at Nkandla , but his party used their parliamentary majority to prevent the vote. The Constitutional Court subsequently found that parliament had failed to hold Zuma to account and ordered parliament to establish rules for
17712-473: The historical injustices perpetrated against the indigenous majority and thus lay the basis for a new – and deeper internationalist – approach". For the movement's intellectuals, the concept of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR) was a means of reconciling the anti-apartheid and anti-colonial project with a second goal, that of establishing domestic and international socialism – the ANC
17876-417: The impeachment process. 1994-1997 : a provincial legislature could remove the province's premier from office by impeaching him or her for "a serious violation of this Constitution or the other laws of the Republic or the province", or for misconduct or inability rendering him or her unfit to exercise and perform his or her powers and functions. A two-thirds majority was required. 1997-date :
18040-483: The indictment earlier served on Shaik. However, the NPA was unprepared to serve the final indictment and filed an application for postponement. On 20 September 2006, the Pietermaritzburg High Court dismissed the application, and when the NPA indicated that it was not prepared to proceed with the trial, the matter was stricken off. In December 2005, Zuma was charged with raping a 31-year-old woman, known to
18204-455: The intelligence department. Zuma was also a member of the South African Communist Party (SACP). He joined in 1963, served briefly on the party's Politburo , and left in 1990. After the ANC was unbanned in February 1990, Zuma returned to South Africa on 21 March to begin the negotiations process. He was one of the first ANC leaders to return to South Africa for negotiations. Later that year, he
18368-489: The interest of the people as a whole". The proposed developmental state was also central to the ANC's campaign in the 2009 elections , and it remains a central pillar of the policy of the current government, which seeks to build a "capable and developmental" state. In this regard, ANC politicians often cite China as an aspirational example. A discussion document ahead of the ANC's 2015 National General Council proposed that: China['s] economic development trajectory remains
18532-602: The interests of the anti-apartheid movement. However, ongoing political violence , which the ANC attributed to a state-sponsored third force , led to recurrent tensions. Most dramatically, after the Boipatong massacre of June 1992, the ANC announced that it was withdrawing from negotiations indefinitely. It faced further casualties in the Bisho massacre , the Shell House massacre , and in other clashes with state forces and supporters of
18696-536: The interim Constitution, also included the National Party and IFP. The ANC has controlled the national government since then. In the post-apartheid era, several significant breakaway groups have been formed by former ANC members. The first is the Congress of the People , founded by Mosiuoa Lekota in 2008 in the aftermath of the Polokwane elective conference , when the ANC declined to re-elect Thabo Mbeki as its president and instead compelled his resignation from
18860-494: The latter half of the 1980s, a number of South African civilians were killed in these attacks, a reversal of the ANC's earlier reluctance to incur civilian casualties. Fatal attacks included the 1983 Church Street bombing , the 1985 Amanzimtoti bombing , the 1986 Magoo's Bar bombing , and the 1987 Johannesburg Magistrate's Court bombing . Partly in retaliation, the South African Defence Force increasingly crossed
19024-550: The members of each of the three houses to petition the Speaker of Parliament to appoint a committee; (b) each house to resolve to appoint the committee; (c) the committee to submit a report; and (d) the electoral college to resolve to adopt the report and declare the State President removed from office. 1994-1997 : the National Assembly and the Senate, sitting jointly, could remove the President from office by impeaching him or her for "a serious violation of this Constitution or
19188-568: The multi-racial Congress of the People in Kliptown, Soweto , which ratified the Freedom Charter , from then onwards a fundamental document in the anti-apartheid struggle . The Charter was the basis of the enduring Congress Alliance , but was also used as a pretext to prosecute hundreds of activists, among them most of the ANC's leadership, in the Treason Trial . Before the trial was concluded,
19352-547: The national presidency. The second breakaway is the Economic Freedom Fighters , founded in 2013 after youth leader Julius Malema was expelled from the ANC. Before these, the most important split in the ANC's history occurred in 1959, when Robert Sobukwe led a splinter faction of African nationalists to the new Pan Africanist Congress . uMkhonto weSizwe rose to prominence in December 2023, when former president Jacob Zuma announced that, while planning to remain
19516-438: The neighbouring concept of a welfare state . In the mid-2000s, during Mbeki's second term, the notion of a developmental state was revived in South African political discourse when the national economy worsened; and the 2007 National Conference whole-heartedly endorsed developmentalism in its policy resolutions, calling for a state "at the centre of a mixed economy... which leads and guides that economy and which intervenes in
19680-513: The new focus on RET during his February 2017 State of the Nation address. Later that year, he explained that RET had been adopted as ANC policy and therefore as government policy, and defined it as a "fundamental change in the structures, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership and control of the economy, in favour of all South Africans, especially the poor". The RET policy was controversial, and some critics claimed that it had popular political appeal but lacked substance. Others claimed that it
19844-563: The nine provincial executive committees and regional executive committees are elected at provincial and regional elective conferences respectively, also attended by branch delegates; and branch officials are elected at branch general meetings. The ANC has three leagues: the Women's League , the Youth League and the Veterans' League . Under the ANC constitution, the leagues are autonomous bodies with
20008-696: The office of the presidency which was chaired by Minister Trevor Manuel . It was responsible for developing the National Development Plan , which was adopted by Zuma's cabinet in 2012. Other major initiatives included the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme, which was launched in 2011 amid electricity generation shortfalls at state energy utility Eskom , and a R4-trillion National Infrastructure Plan launched in 2012. Zuma expressed support for expanding South Africa's nuclear power programme , particularly for
20172-522: The other laws of the Republic, or of misconduct or inability rendering him or her unfit to exercise and perform his or her powers and functions". A two-thirds majority was required. A similar procedure applied to the removal of any of the Executive Deputy Presidents. 1997-date : the National Assembly (alone) may remove the President, for "a serious violation of the Constitution or the law", "serious misconduct" or "inability to perform
20336-476: The party, following the conclusion of his presidency, for ignoring instances of corruption and mismanagement, whilst allowing for the growth of a culture of racial and ideological intolerance. The most prominent corruption case involving the ANC relates to a series of bribes paid to companies involved in the ongoing R55 billion Arms Deal saga , which resulted in a long term jail sentence to then Deputy President Jacob Zuma 's legal adviser Schabir Shaik . Zuma,
20500-453: The party. However, by April 2007 it was clear that Mbeki intended to run for a third term as ANC president. Even though he was prohibited by the Constitution from standing again for the national presidency, the ANC lacks internal term limits. Zuma gained the support of five of the nine provincial ANC branches when they nominated candidates at their provincial congresses in late 2007. He became
20664-409: The policy and ideological preferences of the organisation's mainstream. The ANC is committed to the ideal of non-racialism and to opposing "any form of racial, tribalistic or ethnic exclusivism or chauvinism". The 1969 Morogoro Conference committed the ANC to a "national democratic revolution [which] – destroying the existing social and economic relationship – will bring with it a correction of
20828-454: The poor. This has resulted in the " No Land! No House! No Vote! " Campaign which became very prominent during elections. In 2018, the New York Times reported on the killings of ANC corruption whistleblowers. During an address on 28 October 2021, former president Thabo Mbeki commented on the history of corruption within the ANC. He reflected that Mandela had already warned in 1997 that
20992-497: The provision of basic services, including health and education. Although the RDP was abandoned in 1996, these three channels of state economic intervention have remained mainstays of subsequent ANC policy frameworks. In 1996, Mandela's government replaced the RDP with the Growth Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) programme, which was maintained under President Thabo Mbeki , Mandela's successor. GEAR has been characterised as
21156-496: The public by the pseudonym Khwezi. The incident allegedly occurred on 2 November 2005 at Zuma's home in Forest Town, Johannesburg . When the trial began on 6 March 2006, Zuma pleaded not guilty, claiming that he and Khwezi had consensual sex. He was acquitted on 8 May 2006 following a highly publicised trial. Zuma's admission was controversial, as he stated that he had not used a condom while having sex with Khwezi, despite knowing she
21320-498: The rape trial, Zuma and his supporters complained of a concerted media plot to discredit him and harm his political career. In March, he appointed a legal team, including former Conservative Party politician Jurg Prinsloo and advocate Wycliffe Mothuloe, to fight his "crucifixion by the media". Among his targets was the Sowetan, whom he told that the media, at the instruction of Ngcuka of the NPA and former Justice Minister Penuell Maduna ,
21484-421: The regulation of oil, gas, and minerals resources. Furthermore, Zuma announced a proposal to increase black economic empowerment ownership requirements in mines. In 2017, Zuma advanced a proposal for the introduction of a national minimum wage . Zuma was attentive to land reform issues throughout his second term, but from 2017 he emphasised his support for land expropriation without compensation. While opening
21648-570: The same route... We believe that our positions as former liberation movements need to be consolidated." Despite tensions in later months, as Zuma and SADC attempted to nudge Mugabe towards democratic reforms, the Business Day reported that relations between the countries remained "cordial" throughout Zuma's presidency. South Africa hosted the 25th Summit of the AU in Johannesburg from 7 to 15 June 2015. It
21812-464: The same standards. In 2016, it announced in New York that it was withdrawing from the ICC, and Zuma's administration subsequently tabled legislation to effect the withdrawal. In a press conference on 5 December 2013, Zuma announced the death of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first democratically elected president. The memorial took place on 10 December 2013 at FNB Stadium near Soweto . When Zuma entered
21976-489: The scope to devise their own constitutions and policies; for the purpose of national conferences, they are treated somewhat like provinces, with voting delegates and the power to nominate leadership candidates. The ANC is recognised as the leader of a three-way alliance, known as the Tripartite Alliance , with the SACP and Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). The alliance was formalised in mid-1990, after
22140-544: The seats in Parliament . A successor of the Cape Colony 's Imbumba Yamanyama organisation, the ANC was founded as the South African Native National Congress in Bloemfontein on 8 January 1912, and was renamed the African National Congress in 1923. Pixley ka Isaka Seme , Sol Plaatje , John Dube , and Walter Rubusana founded the organisation, who, like much of the ANC's early membership, were from
22304-420: The socioeconomic inequalities created by colonialism and apartheid, and to promote economic growth and development ; state intervention was judged a necessary step towards both goals. Specifically, the state was to intervene in the economy through three primary channels: a land reform programme ; a degree of economic planning , through industrial and trade policy; and state investments in infrastructure and
22468-452: The stadium parts of the crowd booed him loudly. Ramaphosa and Archbishop Desmond Tutu called for discipline, with Ramaphosa telling the crowd in Zulu that the country could address its internal disagreements when foreign dignitaries were not present. Some South African commentators said that the crowd's actions were unexpected, and they were widely linked to the ongoing Nkandla scandal , a draft of
22632-468: The total value of the defamation lawsuits to at least R70 million, an unprecedented figure in South African law. Many of the suits were withdrawn or settled out of court. Rapport settled for R50,000 over a defamatory reader's letter, and the British Guardian newspaper also paid Zuma substantial damages over defamatory statements. As per party tradition, Zuma was in line to succeed Mbeki as head of
22796-593: The trial was not scheduled to take place until early 2023. The trial has since been set for April 2025. In a separate matter, in June 2021, the Constitutional Court convicted Zuma of contempt of court for his failure to comply with a court order compelling his testimony before the Zondo Commission. He was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment and was arrested on 7 July 2021 in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal . However, he
22960-479: Was HIV-positive and having been, as deputy president, the head of the National AIDS Council and Moral Regeneration Campaign. He told the court that he had taken a shower after the act, claiming that doing so reduced the risk of HIV transmission . The South African comic strip Madam & Eve , and political cartoonist Zapiro , repeatedly lampooned Zuma for his testimony, and Zuma now always appears under
23124-512: Was Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka , Ngcuka's wife. Mlambo-Ngcuka had been minister of minerals and energy since 1999. Her appointment was booed publicly atANC rallies by Zuma supporters, including at a Women's Day event in Utrecht , KwaZulu-Natal. Soon after Zuma's dismissal, the NPA announced its intention to instate formal corruption charges against him. He was served with a provisional indictment on fraud and corruption charges in November 2005, mirroring
23288-401: Was formalised by Parliament on 6 May, and he was sworn in as president of South Africa on 9 May 2009. As president and therefore a member of cabinet, Zuma was required by the government's ethics code to declare his financial interests within 60 days of taking office. In March 2010, nine months after taking office, South African media reported that he had failed to do so. Opposition parties and
23452-459: Was a referee for prisoners association football games, organised by the prisoners own governing body, Makana F.A. After his release from prison, Zuma re-established ANC underground structures in Natal. He left South Africa in 1975 and was initially based in Swaziland where he met Thabo Mbeki . In Mozambique, he dealt with the arrival of thousands of exiles seeking military training in the wake of
23616-613: Was a former anti- apartheid activist, member of uMkhonto weSizwe , and president of the African National Congress (ANC) from 2007 to 2017. Zuma was born in the rural region of Nkandla , which is now part of the KwaZulu-Natal province and the centre of Zuma's support base. He joined the ANC at the age of 17 in 1959 and spent ten years in Robben Island Prison as a political prisoner . He went into exile in 1975 and
23780-541: Was accused by Moe Shaik and Mac Maharaj of having been an apartheid spy, an accusation later dismissed by the specially appointed Hefer Commission. Zuma laid a misconduct complaint against Ngcuka with the Public Protector , Lawrence Mushwana , who in May 2004 found that Ngcuka's statement to the media had been "unfair and improper". Mbeki and Zuma were both re-elected in the 2004 general election , but on 14 June 2005, Mbeki removed Zuma from his post as deputy president following
23944-476: Was an extremely controversial topic within the organisation. Following preliminary contact between the ANC and representatives of the state, business, and civil society, President F. W. de Klerk announced in February 1990 that the government would unban the ANC and other banned political organisations, and that Mandela would be released from prison. Some ANC leaders returned to South Africa from exile for so-called "talks about talks", which led in 1990 and 1991 to
24108-458: Was appointed as ANC Chief Representative in Mozambique. In December 1986, the South African government requested that Mozambican authorities expel six senior members of the ANC, including Zuma. He was forced to leave Mozambique in January 1987, so he moved to the ANC headquarters in Lusaka , Zambia, where he was appointed Head of the ANC's underground structures, and shortly afterward was named chief of
24272-531: Was attended by Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir , then a fugitive from the International Criminal Court (ICC), which sought to prosecute him on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity . South Africa was a signatory to the Rome Statute , which obliged it to arrest al-Bashir, but instead granted him diplomatic immunity while he attended the summit. While the matter was being adjudicated by
24436-607: Was born in Nkandla , Natal Province (now part of the province of KwaZulu-Natal ), and often moved around Natal and the suburbs of Durban as a child. His father, Nobhekisisa, was a policeman who died when Zuma was five, and his mother, Geinamazwi, was a domestic worker. His middle name, Gedleyihlekisa, means "one who smiles while causing you harm" in Zulu . He did not receive formal schooling. He has at least three brothers—Michael, Joseph, and Khanya—and at least one sister—Velephi. Michael Zuma
24600-585: Was controversial, with elements of the ruling alliance calling for a tougher stance against Mugabe and the ruling ZANU–PF . In a 2006 interview with Der Spiegel , Zuma had supported quiet diplomacy and said of Mugabe: The Europeans often ignore the fact that Mugabe is very popular among Africans... The people love him. So how can we condemn him? Many in Africa believe that there is a racist aspect to European and American criticism of Mugabe. Millions of blacks died in Angola,
24764-487: Was convicted of making corrupt payments to Zuma in connection with the Arms Deal . Zuma was charged with corruption and was also acquitted on rape charges in the highly publicised 2006 trial . He managed to retain the support of a left-wing coalition inside the ANC, which allowed him to remove Mbeki as ANC president in December 2007 at the ANC's Polokwane elective conference . Zuma was elected president of South Africa in
24928-614: Was criticised for deviating in its stance on certain foreign regimes, especially in its attitudes towards international intervention in civil conflicts . It voted in favour of Resolution 1970 and Resolution 1973 but condemned their use by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) as the basis for military intervention in Libya . It also voted in favour of a 2012 resolution calling for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, but established friendly relations with
25092-422: Was elected unopposed as the ANC's Southern Natal Chairperson. Zuma, as a Zulu , became known as a leading peace broker in Natal during the political violence of this period that was concentrated in that province, and arose largely from conflict between nationalist supporters of the then Xhosa -dominated ANC and supporters of the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). He is also credited with having expanded
25256-450: Was employed by Khumbula Property Services, a construction company, and in 2011 admitted to using his elder brother Jacob's political status to secure a government contract for the company in exchange for a homestead in Nkandla. Zuma began engaging in anti- apartheid politics at an early age and joined the ANC in 1959. He became an active member of uMkhonto we Sizwe in 1962, two years after
25420-452: Was established in 1910, the only officials who could be impeached (though the term itself was not used) were the chief justice and judges of the Supreme Court of South Africa . The scope was broadened when the country became a republic in 1961, to include the state president . It was further broadened in 1981 to include the new office of vice state president ; and in 1994 to include the executive deputy presidents , provincial premiers,
25584-605: Was heavily involved in the investigation into Zuma and Shaik. Tony Yengeni , in his position as chief whip of the ANC and head of the Parliaments defence committee has recently been named as being involved in bribing the German company ThyssenKrupp over the purchase of four corvettes for the SANDF. Other corruption issues in the 2000s included the sexual misconduct and criminal charges of Beaufort West municipal manager Truman Prince , and
25748-444: Was inaugurated as national president, citing apparent evidence of prosecutorial misconduct in the so-called spy tapes . In March 2009, Shaik was controversially released from prison on medical parole , just over two years into his 15-year sentence. Earlier the same week, Zuma had said publicly that as national president he would pardon Shaik on medical grounds, and denied having played any role in Shaik's release. Shaik had applied for
25912-467: Was partially rooted in a traditionalist Zulu loyalty. Zuma's supporters publicly expressed the view that his dismissal and prosecution were the result of a political conspiracy by Mbeki, who they said had sought to oust Zuma to entrench their dominance in the ANC. Zuma's court appearances on the corruption charges drew large crowds of supporters (on one estimate, up to 10,000 at a time), who, on one occasion, burned T-shirts with Mbeki's picture on them, which
26076-420: Was partly explained by the Cold War context, and by the considerable amount of support – both financial and technical – that the ANC received from the Soviet Union . From the mid-1980s, as international and internal opposition to apartheid mounted, elements of the ANC began to test the prospects for a negotiated settlement with the South African government, although the prudence of abandoning armed struggle
26240-427: Was released on medical parole two months later on 5 September. The high court rescinded his parole on 15 December. The parole was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court of Appeal, but it allowed the Department of Correctional Services to consider whether to deduct the time spent under it from his sentence. On 11 August 2023, the Department of Correctional Services granted Zuma remission of his 15-month sentence. Zuma
26404-425: Was to Angola , where he sought to improve relations with the government of President José Eduardo dos Santos , who had had a tense relationship with Mbeki. His government's foreign policy emphasised the developmental objectives of African and Global South countries with a focus on economic diplomacy . It was also characterised by a pivot towards the BRIC , especially China. In December 2010, South Africa became
26568-476: Was trying to "crucify" him. The newspaper had printed the interview under the headline "I'm like Christ – Zuma". In June and July 2006, Zuma filed a series of defamation lawsuits against various South African media outlets for publishing content that allegedly besmirched his public profile in the form of cartoons, commentary, photos and parody pieces. The defendants included the Star (sued for R20 million), Rapport (R10 million), Highveld Stereo (R7 million),
26732-473: Was ultimately appointed head of the ANC's intelligence department. After the ANC was unbanned in 1990, he quickly rose through the party's national leadership and became deputy secretary general in 1991, national chairperson in 1994, and deputy president in 1997. He was the deputy president of South Africa from 1999 to 2005 under President Thabo Mbeki , Nelson Mandela 's successor. Mbeki dismissed Zuma on 14 June 2005 after Zuma's financial adviser, Schabir Shaik ,
26896-431: Was used to defend "rent-seeking practices" and the influence of the Gupta family on Zuma's administration. Zuma claimed that critics of his politics were agents of " white monopoly capital ". Zuma was inaugurated in South Africa at the height of the 2008 global financial crisis and amid South Africa's first recession since the end of apartheid. Upon taking office, he established the National Planning Commission under
#857142