ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has branded Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader Jacob Zuma a “sellout” for his support of the Kingdom of Morocco, stating that the party is not surprised by Zuma’s actions.
The Western Sahara, a sparsely populated desert region on Africa’s northwest coast, was a Spanish colony before its annexation by Morocco in 1975. This has led to a protracted territorial dispute between Morocco and the indigenous Saharawi people, represented by the Polisario Front.
The ANC criticism comes after Zuma visited Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita in Rabat.
Zuma shared his support for the Kingdom of Morocco, which considers the Western Sahara territory as its own, against the Algeria-backed Polisario front, which seeks an independent state in the desert territory.
The MK Party released a policy position earlier this week explaining that they believe South Africa and the Kingdom of Morocco should be committed to strengthening their bilateral relations, grounded in shared principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and African unity.
“The MK Party’s identity is deeply rooted in the historic struggle for liberation and dignity in South Africa. Similarly, Morocco’s history is marked by its resistance to colonial domination and its determined pursuit of national unity.
“Both nations were shaped by their anti-colonial struggles — South Africa from apartheid and Morocco from French and Spanish rule.
“In this regard, Morocco has played a pivotal role in supporting South Africa through its fight for liberation. Morocco was the first country to lend financial and military support to Umkhonto weSizwe in 1962.
“Morocco’s efforts to reclaim its full territorial integrity align with the MK Party’s commitment to preserving the sovereignty and unity of African states,” the policy states.
On Saturday, the party lambasted the use of the national flag in Zuma’s meeting with Moroccan officials.
“This reckless and provocative act constitutes a flagrant violation of international diplomatic norms and an unacceptable intrusion into South Africa’s internal political affairs. It is a dangerous attempt to delegitimise our constitutional order and discredit the authority of a democratically elected government.
“The inclusion of our national symbols in partisan activities hosted by foreign powers is not only misleading but also part of a broader agenda of foreign interference,” the ANC said.
“The ANC urges the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to issue a formal diplomatic protest and to demand an immediate explanation and apology from the Moroccan authorities.
“We also call on all South Africans, regardless of political affiliation, to reject this dangerous precedent that threatens our sovereignty, our democracy, and our national unity.
“We further condemn the opportunistic involvement of Jacob Zuma, who has aligned himself with efforts that erode South Africa’s standing in the international community and betray the principles of non-alignment, peace, and anticolonial solidarity that he once purported to uphold,” the party said.
“The leader of the MKP has revealed his true colours by demonstrating a lack of belief in the ANC’s political, economic, and ideological principles of progressive internationalism, Pan-Africanism, and solidarity on both international and continental levels.
“It is shameful that a former leader of a liberation movement is betraying our historical mission and showing his true colours as he stands in opposition to the aim of contributing to the creation of a better Africa and world that is more humane, just, equitable, democratic, and free world,” the ANC said.
On Sunday, Mbalula said that Zuma’s actions are not a surprise as “Jacob Zuma represents everything that is… pursued by sellouts”.
Mbalula came out to address the media during a short interval at the Cape Sun Hotel, where the ANC’s National Working Committee (NWC) met with the Provincial Executive Committee. This forms part of the ANC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its organisational capacity and engage directly with structures of the movement across regions and districts.
“We, as the ANC, will fight side-by-side for the self-determination of the Sahrawi people. We are in solidarity with them, and Morocco must stop the occupation of Western Sahara.
“Zuma is no messiah. He is a sellout of note. For whatever reason, he is doing this is no surprise to us,” Mbalula said.
“The very decision to steal the assets of the ANC to form a political party, and call it what it is, to divide our people, to weaken the African National Congress, for his own personal aggrandisement, is what he has been. He will be remembered for that by history.”
The MK Party was contacted for comment, but indicated that they will respond to Mbalula’s comment at a future briefing.
