South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal – “We need change and we need change now,” says Nozwe, sitting in his home in a low-income government housing project in Savannah Park, 18 kilometers west of the South African port city of Durban.・Princess Zulu said.
“Black people cannot remain slaves forever in their own country… That is why we vote for the Umkhonto Wisizwe (MK) party to drive that change,” the 51-year-old said recently. by controversial former president Jacob Zuma who has declared support for a new wildcard party that has been approved.
Zulu is not just an ordinary voter, he is also a lifelong activist who served as a city councilor for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) from 2011 to 2016.
But in recent months she has reversed her stance and now devotes her time to persuading would-be voters in Zuma's home province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to vote for MK, the Spear of the Nation. dedicating resources. .
“I had warned my colleagues in the ANC that if we continued our arrogance, corruption and lack of accountability, we would lose public support,” she said. “They didn't listen or watch, and that's exactly what's happening.”
South Africans will go to the polls on May 29 in a crucial election for the ANC, which has been in power since the first post-apartheid elections 30 years ago. The ANC, seen as the party that liberated South Africa from apartheid, has been losing support in recent days, with opinion polls predicting it could fall below 50% of the vote for the first time. If it fails to win a majority, opposition parties could collude to dethrone the ANC.
MK's rapid rise since its birth last year could damage the ANC, particularly in South Africa's second-most populous province of KZN, with opinion polls showing Mr Zuma's party the largest party in the next election. It has been suggested that it could emerge as a winner.
Capitalize on Zuma's popularity
MK was formed in early 2023 and gained attention in December when Zuma announced he would support MK instead of the ANC, the party of which he was twice president.
MK is currently capitalizing on Mr Zuma's popularity to gain more supporters, while at the same time addressing government corruption, high levels of violent crime, power outages known locally as load shedding, and worsening water supply issues. They are also profiting from the resentment of voters who are fed up with shortages, unemployment, and more. and poverty during 30 years of ANC rule.
Mr Zuma said his conscience would not allow him to vote for a party that had become a “sell-out” as he turned away from the ANC, ensuring that the MK won enough support to win and change the constitution in the interests of the people. Then he said. The black majority is in a difficult situation.
South Africa's constitution is considered one of the most progressive in the world and is one of the most cited by the world's top courts. But Zuma and MK claim this is based on Western law and does not represent the people.
“We need to review the constitution because it does not benefit us as black people,” Zulu told Al Jazeera, adding that colonialism, apartheid and racial and economic oppression have affected many black South Africans. He agreed with the view that the Constitution makes it difficult to improve oneself.
Zuma is an enigmatic politician who enjoys huge support among his Zulu community, South Africa's largest ethnic group.
Although his path to political power has been paved with countless controversies, his popularity remains undiminished. He was removed from office as vice president in 2005 after his close aides were found guilty of corruption charges, including paying bribes to Zuma. In the same year, he was charged with rape, but was later acquitted. He was also indicted in 2005 on charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Despite these hardships, Zuma was elected ANC leader in 2007 and South Africa's president in 2009 and 2014.
During his time in power, he was once again implicated in allegations of corruption and accusations related to the plundering of state funds. And after being expelled in 2018, he refused to participate in the Corruption Investigation Commission even after it served him with a summons.
He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, and when police took him from his home in July 2021, it sparked a week-long frenzy of violence and looting in parts of South Africa that left more than 350 people dead. , huge losses occurred. economy.
9 wasted years
Critics describe Mr Zuma's tenure in power as “nine wasted years”, marked by a weak economy and rampant fraud and corruption.
But he has returned to the political spotlight with MK, despite South Africa's Electoral Commission announcing last month that he was ineligible to stand for election citing contempt of court convictions. MK is appealing this ruling.
Despite his many critics, his supporters are often happy to follow the former president's lead.
Zulu, for example, said he took a cue from Zuma to abandon the ANC when he announced he would support MK. She is now firmly entrenched in the new party.
But she said she had already become disillusioned with the ANC, criticizing its corruption and lack of benefits for black South Africans.
Asked why Zuma had failed to improve the situation during the two terms he led the country, Zulu said that even though he was president, “Zuma was able to protect white people by the very constitution that Western countries praise.'' “They were prevented from accessing white privilege,” he said, adding that changing the constitution “would definitely allow them access to white privilege.” May the minerals and wealth of this country benefit us. ”
Zulu admitted that as a businessman he had previously benefited from state tenders under the ANC, but refused to reveal the details of the contracts he received. Like her, many who benefited during Zuma's presidency may no longer benefit.
“Many people who had government contracts during the Zuma era have now run dry and are throwing all their might into supporting the MK party in the hope that if they win, they will regain power,” Zakere said. Mr Ndlovu said. An independent political analyst and senior lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal commented on the new party's popularity.
“The ANC has let us down”
However, some voters who were loyal to the ANC are now supporting MK.
Nellie Msomi, 38, is from rural Tafelkop, south-west of Durban. A former clerk at the national railway company told Al Jazeera that he was transferred from the ANC.
Msomi, her husband and some friends were participating in the local MK election. There, she was seen driving a convoy of party supporters from one area to another, holding flags and encouraging supporters to participate and vote.
“We have no jobs, no water, no electricity,” she said in a Ford Ranger pickup truck that was part of the MK convoy. “The ANC has completely let us down. Even when doing projects in our communities, they have only aligned the interests of the MP's people, their families and their girlfriends.”
Although MK attracts the majority of support from the ANC's voter base, its presence is dominated by other parties, such as the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), the traditionalist Zulu nationalist party and the ANC's main opposition party in KZN. ) and the Keizai Party. The Freedom Fighters (EFF) was formed by popular former ANC youth leader Julius Malema.
Taxi fleet owner Nhlanhla Xulu, 40, is a former IFP activist and now a major MK organizer from Felekisi, a semi-urban village about 37 kilometers south of Durban.
All his vehicles, including minibus taxis, are decorated in MK's colors of green, yellow and black. Young people are also participating. “Wearing an MK outfit has become a fashion statement for young people who are fed up with the status quo.”
Mr Xulu said Mr Zuma's appearance as MK had reignited his enthusiasm for politics.
“I, like many people I know, had planned not to vote, but when Mr. Zuma showed up and made that promise, I knew I had a new political home,” he said.
“Currently, our election campaign as MK in this region is going very well and people are keen to join and vote for the MK party. Come on May 29th [election day] MK will surprise many. ”
“Severe damage”
However, not everyone is attracted to MK. Some voters said they would stick with their old parties. “I don't follow individuals [like Zuma]. I follow political parties based on principle. I will vote for the ANC as always,” said Andile Sibiya, 28, as he watched an MK campaign convoy pass in front of his home in Kwadabeka, west of Durban.
Just over 27 million South Africans are registered to vote in the upcoming polls. The main battlegrounds are Gauteng, the country's most populous province with more than 7 million registered voters, and KwaZulu-Natal with 5.7 million voters.
Nationally, support for the ANC has fallen to 39%, while the closest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has gained support at 27%, according to a voter survey conducted last month by the Johannesburg-based think tank Brenthurst Foundation. ing.
According to the same survey, Zuma's MK party is expected to be the strongest in KZN with 25% of the vote. With a close race between the ANC (20%), DA (19%) and IFP (19%), a coalition government is likely to rule the state.
The poll also suggested that a national coalition government is likely to be formed after the general election.
“There is no doubt that the MK party will do great damage to the ANC, especially in KZN, where the ANC's leadership is seen as weak and arrogant,” said political analyst Ndlovu.
Beyond KZN, he said “its success will be very limited” and attributed this to “Zulu ethnic nationalism”, the driving force behind Zuma's support in his home province.
But Ndlovu also acknowledged that the ex-president's popularity was itself a motivator, saying: “Many people are fed up with high levels of crime, corruption, poverty and unemployment, and they look to Zuma as their spiritual guide.” “I see him as a savior or a savior.”
