Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
02 February 2024 | 12:07 p.m. SAST
2-min read

Former South African President Jacob Zuma’s recent suspension from the African National Congress (ANC) came after he announced that he would not vote or campaign for the ANC on December 16, 2023, and expressed support for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party instead.

Angelo Fick, Director of Research at Auwal Socioeconomic Research Institute (ASRI) believes that Zuma’s suspension is long overdue.

“It reveals the slowness of the African National Congress and the governing party’s response to its internal issues. The trouble that they have with Mr Zuma is trouble that they’ve created for themselves,” Fick noted during the ASRI Report on Radio Islam International.

Fick underscored the ANC’s apparent unwavering support for Zuma despite numerous legal battles and allegations of corruption dating back to his tenure as president.

The ANC continues to battle its internal struggles and the rifts within its leadership, Fick noted.

“Given that it’s an election year and it [the ANC] wants to win in the majority, given that its opposition is not as strong as they should be, given the weakness of the party, they still have to go into an election and convince everybody that they are not just a cohesive party, but that they can govern a country that faces the challenges South Africa does,” Fick said.

The first prosecution in the Digital Vibes corruption trial concluded on Tuesday. The case involves the misappropriation of public funds. Implicated in the crime are former Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize and his son.

Questions of nepotism, cronyism, and the slow pace of justice in addressing corruption cases remain at the centre of corruption.

“The fact that more people haven’t been charged, the fact that we’ve had R160 000 component of the R150 million problem dealt with in a court is, I think, one of the many things that ordinary South Africans have a problem with in terms of the NPA’s speed in acting against corruption on individual cases involving senior members of government,” Fick said.

Despite President Ramaphosa’s promises of a “New Dawn” in 2018, progress in tackling corruption has been slow, leaving many disillusioned with the ANC’s leadership and governance.

The consequences of corruption, such as poor service, bad management of municipalities and the state’s resources, load shedding, and water shortages, affect the daily lives of many South Africans and will impact the outcome of this year’s elections, Fick noted.

Listen to the ASRI Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Junaid Kharsany.