Former South African President Jacob Zuma announced on Sunday that his new party would join an opposition alliance to challenge the government and contest the results of the recent general elections.

South Africa’s Zuma vows protests, says 2024 elections rigged — uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party leader and South Africas former president Jacob Zuma (C) gives a press conference in Johannesburg on June 16, 2024, two days after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected for a second term after his humbled ANC cobbled together an unprecedented coalition government. – Lawmakers in Cape Town voted overwhelmingly on June 14, 2024 to put Ramaphosa, 71, back in office for another five years after the May 29 general election produced no outright winner. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP)

“The 2024 elections were rigged,” stated Nhlamulo Ndhlela, spokesperson for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, while reading a statement from the 82-year-old ex-leader. Zuma’s party insists on pursuing legal actions both domestically and internationally to ensure justice.

Zuma’s statement emphasized, “At the right time, we will call on our people to demonstrate their dissatisfaction against all these injustices peacefully—in the streets, in court, and even in parliament until our grievances are addressed.”

The MK party declared its intention to join a new parliamentary group composed of several predominantly leftist opposition parties. This “Progressive Caucus” is currently led by the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which secured 39 seats in the new parliament.

During the announcement, Zuma remained silent while his speech was read, occasionally responding to press inquiries.

In the recent elections, the MK party secured third place with 14.6% of the vote, translating to 58 parliamentary seats. On Friday, the party boycotted the inaugural session of the new parliament, where President Cyril Ramaphosa, a long-standing political adversary of Zuma, was re-elected for a second term.

The MK has initiated a new legal challenge to contest the election results, which they claim were rigged. They had previously attempted to prevent the new parliament from convening and filed separate complaints about alleged electoral irregularities. Several other parties have also raised complaints with the country’s electoral body and lodged legal challenges.

An ‘Unholy Alliance’

President Ramaphosa, set to be inaugurated on June 19, will lead what he describes as a government of national unity, following a May poll that resulted in no outright winner. This government includes the center-right Democratic Alliance (DA), the Zulu nationalist Inkatha Freedom Party, and other smaller groups.

The opposition parties have not welcomed this coalition warmly. Ndhlela condemned the new coalition as a “white-led unholy alliance” that “must be crushed before it finds its feet,” accusing the ANC of “going to bed with the racists.” The EFF has also rejected the idea of collaborating with rivals like the DA, which hold significantly different political views.

Zuma’s rivalry with Ramaphosa has been intense since Zuma was ousted from the African National Congress (ANC) amid corruption allegations in 2018, paving the way for Ramaphosa’s leadership.

AFP

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