South Africa’s ANC Suspends Ex-President Jacob Zuma

South Africa’s ruling party, African National Congress (ANC), has suspended former President Jacob Zuma.

The decision followed Zuma’s launching of a rival political party. ANC, however, vowed to launch a legal challenge.

ANC secretary general, Fikile Mbalula, announced the decision on Monday, declaring that “Zuma and others whose conduct is in conflict with our values and principles, will find themselves outside the African National Congress.”

According to BBC report, Zuma’s new party, uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), meaning “spear of the nation”, shares a name with the ANC’s former armed wing he once served in.

Zuma, who served as South Africa’s president for nine years, currently faces corruption charges, for which he denied wrongdoing in all cases.

South Africa’s current President, Cyril Ramaphosa, replaced Zuma in 2018 and promised to clean up government. He now leads an embattled ANC into this year’s general election.