The Sunday Mail
Back in 2007, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma was elected over his predecessor, Mr Thabo Mbeki, to lead the ruling African National Congress at an elective conference in Polokwane.
The race to that election was one of the most contentious leadership battles in the ANC’s history.
Prior to his ascendancy, President Zuma had to overcome several hurdles. First, he was charged with rape in 2005. He was acquitted.
He also fought a long legal battle over allegations of racketeering and general corruption, which resulted in his then financial advisor Schabir Shaik’s conviction for corruption and fraud.
Consequently, Shaik served 28 months of a 15-year jail sentence.
Later, President Zuma was recharged with corruption and fraud, and additional charges of money-laundering, racketeering, and tax evasion were brought against him.
These charges were dismissed on a legal technicality in September 2008.
In a dramatic turn of events, Mr Mbeki announced his resignation from the state presidency after being recalled by the ANC’s National Executive Committee on September 20, 2008.
The recall came after High Court Judge Justice Christopher Nicholson ruled that Mr Mbeki had improperly interfered with the operations of the National Prosecuting Authority, including the prosecution of Mr Zuma for corruption.
Why is all this important?
Well, firstly, in the context of the anti-Zuma protests currently occurring in South Africa, I believe that it is important to highlight that President Zuma has overcome much graver and more testing political challenges in the past.
What’s happening today is child’s play.
As a result, it is highly unlikely that calls by the likes of Julius Malema and Mmusi Maimane (both political novices) will be acknowledged by President Zuma and his core of supporters.
Secondly, during the run-up to the 2007 ANC elective congress, the ANC as a party, (and perhaps South Africa as a country) was divided along tribal lines.
Pre-Polokwanwe, the ANC was divided into two groups: A pro-Jacob Zuma faction and another backing Mr Mbeki.
These two groups were fragmented into two powerful tribal groups. On the one hand were pro-Zuma Zulus, who included the likes of Blade Nzimande and Bheki Cele.
They viewed Mr Mbeki as an authoritarian who was pushing a Xhosa hegemonic agenda. Former Presidents Nelson Mandela, Mbeki and former Vice-President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka are all of Xhosa origin.
Now here we are in 2017, and at the end of this year is another ANC elective gathering.
The main challengers for the ANC top post are Vice-President Cyril Ramaphosa and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who happens to be President Zuma’s ex-wife.
Dr Dlamini-Zuma and President Zuma seem to have an amicable relationship, as reports suggest that she visits the latter’s Nkandla home frequently.
Here’s the thing: President Jacob Zuma is undoubtedly charismatic, and still commands respect in the grassroots across South Africa’s provinces.
In other words, as long as he is still president of the ANC after December 2017, he will certainly have significant influence over who becomes the next president of South Africa.
The irony is that some of the people who supported his elevation to the ANC presidency in 2007 are his biggest critics in 2017. These include the likes of Julius Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi.
However, in real political terms, President Zuma hails from KwaZulu Natal and is, therefore, Zulu.
The Zulu people have a population of about 10,5 million people across South Africa, making them the largest single ethnic group in the country.
Now, there have been several rumours that South Africans of Zulu origin have been deliberately joining ANC structures across provinces since 2009.
The alleged aim of this agenda has been to ensure Zulu hegemony in South African politics going forward.
Conversely, this has been opposed by moderate politicians like VP who are alleged to have been secretly sponsoring opposition parties like the Economic Freedom Fighters which is currently leading anti-Zuma protests.
VP Ramaphosa is rumoured to be of Venda origin (although he vehemently denies this). Malema is also Venda.
Nevertheless, while we hope that South Africans resolve their problems amicably, it is clear that the politics of identity and ethnicity are a major contributor to the current upheaval in South Africa’s politics today, as it always is in the run-up to an elective conference.
While the major political players in South Africa may not admit it, the politics of ethnicity is the elephant in Tshwane’s political room.
Tau Tawengwa is a doctoral candidate. He wrote this article for The Sunday Mail
