Former President Jacob Zuma has escalated his political campaign, leveling serious allegations against his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa. Zuma accuses Ramaphosa of purchasing his way to the presidency and betraying his comrades for personal gain. Furthermore, Zuma claims that Ramaphosa and several cabinet members were absent from the liberation struggle.

In a striking declaration last December, Zuma distanced himself from the African National Congress (ANC), the party he once led, pledging his support to the newly established uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party instead.

During a campaign event in uMlazi, just outside Durban, Zuma expressed his disconnection from the current incarnation of the ANC, which he now refers to as “Ramaphosa’s ANC.” He voiced his observations in a widely shared social media video, stating:

“The ANC that exists is not the ANC I know … This is Ramaphosa’s ANC. The Ramaphosa I’ve never seen during the Struggle… I’ve never even seen most of the people that he is working with in his Cabinet during the Struggle,”

Attempts to reach Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, for comments were unsuccessful.

The contention between Zuma and Ramaphosa was further spotlighted during their appearances at the state capture commission, led by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Zuma criticized Ramaphosa’s legitimacy as president, recounting his statements at the commission:

“The first thing I said at the commission, which is not a secret, is that I had a problem with having a president that was not a president… It emerged that the president was not elected the first time. He was not elected by the people we sent to go choose leaders… he bought the presidency with a lot of money,”

Zuma referenced the 2017 ANC elective conference, where Ramaphosa outpaced Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to win the presidency, alleging that Ramaphosa admitted during the commission to having financed his campaign with significant external funding.

“He was asked by the judge (Zondo) at the commission and he confessed and the whole country heard that he bought the position of being president. He is not our president…There was a lot of money that he was given by the ‘whites’’ from abroad,”

Moreover, Zuma accused the European Union (EU) of donating R1.6 billion to Ramaphosa, aiming to dismantle the former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who was impeached and subsequently dismissed by Ramaphosa.

Zuma lambasted Ramaphosa for allegedly violating both the law and ANC’s principles by declaring the party as highly corrupt. He vehemently denied these accusations, defending the ANC’s integrity against claims of corruption.

Zuma also hinted at accusations within the party regarding Ramaphosa being labeled a traitor during the apartheid era, without directly naming individuals. He recounted advice sought by the MK Veterans Association (MKVA) regarding suspicions of betrayal within their ranks:

“The MKVA (uMkhontho we Sizwe Veterans) came to me and said to me that there was a person who was suspected to be a sell-out.

He advised them to approach the party’s secretary-general for further action. Following this, allegations arose, demanding an investigation into Zuma himself.

Zuma concluded with a poignant critique of Ramaphosa, noting the absence of denial when faced with accusations of betrayal from notable political figures. This, according to Zuma, is a reflection of the character of the current president.