Supporters of Jacob Zuma, whose surprising resurgence has overshadowed South Africa’s ruling ANC ahead of next month’s elections, gathered to honor the graft-tainted former president in his Zulu stronghold on Thursday.
The 82-year-old, who announced in December his intention to campaign for the upstart left-wing uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, was celebrated by a crowd of supporters in his home village of Nkandla.
Despite efforts by the ANC to prevent the MK party from using its name, a court in Durban, the capital of Kwa-Zulu Natal province and Zuma’s stronghold, rejected the plea.
Amidst the scorching sun, supporters chanted “Zuma Zuma” as they awaited his speech.
Asanda Ndima, 20, expressed her support, stating, “Zuma is very smart, he is the only one who can fix the issues South Africa is facing.” Zuma’s presence has been marked by a flurry of political engagements and court battles over his eligibility to run in the May 29 election.
Recent polls indicate a potential decline in support for Zuma’s former political home, the ANC, which could score below 50 percent for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994.
Despite being formed just over six months ago, the MK party is projected to garner 13 percent of the vote in the upcoming election.
Mxolisi Thuseni, 52, explained that supporters of the MK include the elderly, who recall Zuma’s leadership and the benefits they received during his tenure, as well as disenchanted youth and former members of the ANC and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP).
“I have joined the MK because I am frustrated as a young unemployed person in this country. I want change,” said 25-year-old Nompilo Ngoma, reflecting the sentiment of many disillusioned voters.
As South Africa braces for a pivotal election, Zuma’s unexpected resurgence and the rise of the MK party have injected new dynamics into the political landscape, promising a fiercely contested electoral battle.
