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☆ New Party in South Africa to Boycott Opening of Parliament
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( John Eligon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The official results from national elections last month just don’t add up for Mbalenhle Mthethwa, a loyal adherent of a new political party led by Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s former president. “The elections were not free and fair,” she said, echoing the stolen-election narrative advanced by Mr. Zuma. Ms. Mthethwa, a 38-year-old chef, lives in a township near the coastal city of Durban and has been out of work for the past four years. Mr. Zuma, 82, whose nine years as president were marred by allegations of corruption and looting of state coffers, has taken a page from the playbook of populist leaders of recent years — notably in the United States and Brazil. Vote-rigging claims in other nations have resulted in chaos, and South Africans will get a first look at how things might unfold on Friday, with Mr. Zuma’s party, uMkhonto weSizwe, known as M.K., vowing to boycott the first sitting of the newly elected Parliament.

Persons: Mbalenhle Mthethwa, Jacob Zuma, South, “, ”, Zuma, Mthethwa, Mr, uMkhonto weSizwe Organizations: Mr Locations: Durban, United States, Brazil

☆ Jacob Zuma has made a dramatic comeback in South Africa’s elections. Will he have the last laugh over Ramaphosa?
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Sarah Dean | David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) party faces a mammoth challenge as it needs to form a government with its political rivals after suffering a seismic blow in last week’s election. However, both parties believe in the primacy of South Africa’s constitution and both have promised to crack down on corruption. If the ANC decides to pursue coalition talks with MK, then Zuma will want Ramaphosa out, solidifying his revenge. However, if South Africa’s president maintains his grip on the ANC, a coalition with MK is unlikely. South Africa’s business community and middle class are broadly nervous about an EFF–ANC coalition and its effect on investor confidence.

Persons: Mahlengi, Motsiri, Jacob Zuma, Zuma, Cyril Ramaphosa –, –, ”, Tessa Dooms, ” Dooms, Ramaphosa, Gupta, Ramaphosa’s, Fikile Mbalula, “, John Steenhuisen, Steenhuisen, TK Pooe, Paul Mashatile, Zuma “ unapologetically, Melanie Verwoerd, Verwoerd, Julius Malema, Malema, Floyd Shivambu, Mandela, Klerk, Thabo Mbeki Organizations: South Africa CNN, National Congress, ANC, South, MK, who’ve, CNN, Sunday, Democratic Alliance, White South, DA, EFF, Fighters, Wits School, Governance, Empowerment, ANC’s, National Health Insurance, Freedom Party, IFP, Reserve Bank, Finance, GNU, FW Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Africa, Zulu

☆ Jacob Zuma Gets His Revenge on South African Party That Shunned Him
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( John Eligon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jacob Zuma’s political career could have ended when he was forced to resign six years ago as South Africa’s president over corruption allegations. But Mr. Zuma, 82, has improbably bounced back after every threat to his political survival, and now has significant power to determine who will lead the country. The political party that Mr. Zuma began six months ago — umKhonto weSizwe, or M.K. — finished third in last week’s national election, upending South Africa’s political landscape. The showing helped to bring about the stunning collapse of the party he once led — the African National Congress, or A.N.C., which failed to win an outright majority for the first time since the country’s democracy began in 1994.

Persons: Jacob Zuma’s, Zuma, improbably, — Organizations: African National Congress, upending Locations: South

☆ South Africa's ruling ANC loses majority in country's most sweeping political shift in 30 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-01 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

South Africa's governing African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority of 30 years, in the country's most sweeping political shift since the end of the apartheid. The six-months-old uMkhonto weSizwe party of the country's former president Jacob Zuma, established in December, clinched 14.6% of votes. The result marks a meteoric fall for ANC from the 57.5% wrested during the previous election of 2019 — at the time, the party's weakest feat since South Africa's first democratic vote in 1994. In 2022, the World Bank named South Africa "the most unequal country in the world." "Top-of-mind issues for voters are unemployment, loadshedding, corruption, and crime, which have all taken a toll on the country's growth performance for years," analysts at Deloitte said at the start of the month.

Persons: Jacob Zuma, Long Organizations: African National Congress, ANC, Democratic Alliance, Marxist Economic, Fighters, World Bank, Deloitte Locations: South Africa

☆ Nelson Mandela’s party has been dealt a seismic election blow. Where does it leave South Africa?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Sarah Dean | David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party is set to fall short of a majority for the first time in 30 years after national elections this week, marking the biggest political shift in the country since the end of apartheid. With results in from 90% of voting districts as of 5.10pm ET, support for the ANC was at 41.04%. The official opposition party, the centrist Democratic Alliance (DA), had 21.72% of the vote. Fed-up voters dealt the party of Nelson Mandela a seismic blow at the polls after years of corruption scandals and economic mismanagement. As a result, the ANC will be forced to form a coalition to stay in government.

Persons: Zuma, Nelson Mandela Organizations: South Africa CNN, National Congress, ANC, Democratic Alliance, weSizwe Party, Fighters, Fed Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa

☆ South Africa elections: First results suggest country is in line for biggest political shift since apartheid
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-30 | by ( Sarah Dean | David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —Early results from South Africa’s election suggest the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party could lose its majority for the first time in 30 years. With results in from 13% of polling stations at 10 a.m. local time, support for the ANC stood at 42.5%. In past elections, results from rural areas – where the ANC has major strongholds – have come in later, boosting results for the party. South Africa’s electoral commission has seven days to declare the final results by law. This year, the commission has set Sunday, June 2, as the final results day.

Persons: Jacob Zuma, Zuma, Cyril Ramaphosa – Organizations: South Africa CNN, National Congress, ANC, Democratic Alliance, Fighters, ANC –, CSIR, Independent, EFF, weSizwe Party, South Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, –, KwaZulu, Natal, Durban

☆ South Africa election 2024: Polls open in what could be most closely contested election since the end of apartheid
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Sarah Dean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —Millions of South Africans are voting in what is expected to be the most pivotal general election since the end of apartheid. While polling can be challenging in South Africa, most analysts believe that the ANC faces its stiffest challenge yet with a population deeply frustrated by the country’s direction. SOUTH AFRICA GENERAL ELECTION 101 South Africa uses a “proportional representation” system. South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, according to the World Bank. This is the seventh general election South Africa has held since the end of white minority rule 30 years ago.

Persons: Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa, ” Ramaphosa, Anders Pettersson, Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto, Zuma, “, ”, John Steenhuisen Organizations: South Africa CNN, National Congress, ANC, SOUTH, Independent Electoral, South, World Bank . Citizens, Workers, African National Congress, Fighters, Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party, Democratic Alliance, Party Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, SOUTH AFRICA, Africa, Alexandra Township, Benoni

☆ South Africa, With Elections, Is Becoming Something New - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( William Shoki | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

On an overcast April day in South Africa’s administrative capital, Pretoria, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a lackluster speech commemorating the end of white-minority rule in South Africa. On several occasions, the former South African president Jacob Zuma proclaimed that the A.N.C. would rule “until Jesus comes back.” Now Mr. Zuma is hoping to unseat the party that enabled his notorious graft. The party’s emergence is one of the many morbid symptoms in South Africa today. Thirty years on from apartheid’s end, South Africa is in the midst of another complex transformation.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Nelson Mandela, Ramaphosa’s, Jacob Zuma, “, Jesus, Zuma, uMkhonto, —, ’, Ramaphosa Organizations: African National Congress, South, Mr Locations: South Africa’s, Pretoria, South Africa, South

☆ South Africa elections: A guide and everything you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Sarah Dean | David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —South Africans go to the polls on May 29 for what will likely be the most pivotal general election since the end of apartheid. This is the seventh general election South Africa has held since the end of white minority rule 30 years ago. South Africa general election 101 • South Africa uses a “proportional representation” system. This year South Africa received its lowest score on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. Democratic Alliance (DA) party leader Johan Steenhuisen speaks to supporters during a party event on May 9, 2024, in Soweto, South Africa.

Persons: Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa, Jacob Zuma, What’s, Ramaphosa –, –, “, Ramaphosa, ”, John Steenhuisen, Johan Steenhuisen, Anders Pettersson, Zuma, Julius Malema, Malema, Floyd Shivambu, Steenhuisen Organizations: South Africa CNN, National Congress, ANC, Independent Electoral, •, “, Democratic Alliance, White South, Party Charter, uMkhonto weSizwe Party, Economic, Fighters, EFF, MK, Finance, Constitutional, Social Research Foundation Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Africa, China, Cuba, Soweto

☆ Jacob Zuma not eligible to run for parliament, South Africa’s top court says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( David Mckenzie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Johannesburg, South Africa CNN —South Africa’s apex court has ruled that former president Jacob Zuma is not eligible to run for parliament in next week’s critical general election. He was found guilty of contempt of court by the same constitutional court for his refusal to testify to an anti-corruption commission. It is that sentence that barred him from running, the court ruled on Monday. A contempt of court sentence is an extremely important sentence, and it is a sentence that cannot be treated lightly. While the court ruled that Zuma is not eligible to run for MP, his party will still contest the election and his face will remain on the ballot.

Persons: Jacob Zuma, Zuma, “, ”, Leona Theron, Neeshan Balton, Ahmed, Nelson Mandela Organizations: South Africa CNN, National Congress, ANC, WeSizwe Party, CNN Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, KwaZulu, Natal

☆ Jacob Zuma, Once Leader of the A.N.C., Becomes Its Political Rival
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Lynsey Chutel | Joao Silva | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Jobless graduates, struggling business owners and army veterans marched through the eastern South African city of Pietermaritzburg this week, chanting the name “Jacob Zuma.”The 500 or so demonstrators brought to a standstill parts of the city, in KwaZulu-Natal Province — the traditional stronghold of Mr. Zuma, a past president of both South Africa and the African National Congress, the party that governed the country for three decades. Demanding water and electricity, the protest over commonplace local concerns was also a show of power for the new political party that Mr. Zuma now leads — uMkhonto weSizwe, or M.K. — with the hope of eroding the dominant position of his former allies. “We are going to have to fight for things to change,” said Khumbuzile Phungula, 49, who joined the march after her neighborhood went weeks without water. is all about change.”

Persons: “ Jacob Zuma, ”, Zuma, — uMkhonto, Khumbuzile Phungula Organizations: African National Congress Locations: African, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu, Natal Province, South Africa

☆ Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s Scandal-Ridden Ex-President, Is Running Again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Lynsey Chutel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jacob Zuma, who resigned as South Africa’s president in shame in 2018, is now staging his biggest comeback act yet by running in next month’s parliamentary elections with an upstart opposition party at the top of its ticket — the slot designated for a party’s presidential contender. Mr. Zuma’s participation in the race is a blow to a faltering African National Congress — the party he once led — which has governed the country since the end of apartheid three decades ago. and its leader, the country’s current president, Cyril Ramaphosa, are now struggling to win back the trust of voters disillusioned by a stagnant economy and years of corruption. On Wednesday, his party — uMkhonto weSizwe — released its list of national candidates with his name at the top. His party, known as MK, was formed only last December, but has already climbed in the polls, gained ground in local elections and won several legal battles for the right to contest the May 29 election.

Persons: Jacob Zuma, Mr, Cyril Ramaphosa, Zuma, — Organizations: South, African National Congress

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