By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
Jacob Zuma, the latest challenger to the ANC’s dominance of South Africa’s black vote, is taking his charm offensive to Mpumalanga province.
For decades the province has been a happy hunting ground for the ANC, which won 72.2% of the vote in Mpumalanga in 2019.
Following years of state capture, this was the lowest result for the ANC, which recorded 86.3% in 2004, 85.8% in 2009 and 78.8% in 2014.
ANC support has dropped by over 14% in a province that has been battered by the effects of climate change in recent years, where most ANC-controlled municipalities have not been able to respond to the effects of floods on rural communities.
Zuma recently joined the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) political party and announced he will not campaign for the ANC which he joined over 60 years ago.
Msholozi appears to have successfully recruited Vusi Sigemegeme Motha, a once powerful ANC leader at the Gert Sibande region Mkhondo local municipality (Piet Retief).
The MK rally on 6 January comes just a week before the ANC descends on the province to celebrate its birthday on 13 January.
Although he has not resigned as a member of the ANC, Zuma said he will not vote for the ANC of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“This is not the ANC I joined. But it is something disguised in colours of the ANC. It is time for me to act and save the ANC from what it has become now.”
On Sunday, Zuma will take his election campaign to Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal, an area where the once powerful ANC has been losing public confidence.
In the 2021 municipal elections, the ANC received 31.3% of the vote in Newcastle. Msholozi will be addressing his new followers at Madadeni College on Sunday.
Pictured above: The Zuma MK roadshow heads to Mpumalanga.
Image source: X
