Jacob Zuma who is South Africa’s controversial former president who is also facing some corruption charges for which he has served a short stint in jail, has revealed that he is actually ready for a political comeback with the ruling party.
In a statement which he had put out recently, Zuma who is now 80 years old had also revealed that he has been asked by some of the members of the African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled South Africa since the end of apartheid, to put himself forward as the party finally gears up to elect a new leadership.
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“I will not refuse such a call should they deem it necessary for me to serve the organisation again,” he said, adding he has been consulting with party leaders “in spite of the difficulties caused by my current legal situation”.
The move comes amid heavy infighting within the ANC party as well, ahead of a national elective conference in December.
The party is to hold internal polls to pick a new leader, who would then become the candidate for the next presidential election which comes up in 2024.
Current President Cyril Ramaphosa is hoping to secure a second term but he is currently facing a challenge from a faction which is also loyal to Zuma — a divisive figure whose name resonates with graft for most South Africans but remains a hero to many grassroots ANC members.
In another related report, some of the Corruption investigators in South Africa have concluded that the country’s former President, Jacob Zuma always did anything the wealthy Indian-born Gupta family wanted him to do from early in his first term insisting that the influence of the family on him was overwhelming.
The commission which has been empowered to investigate allegations of widespread corruption in South Africa during Zuma’s nine years in power, known as ‘State Capture’, have asserted the former president placed the interests of corrupt associates ahead of those of his country.
The team further asserted that the Guptas identified Zuma as someone whose character could be used against the people of South Africa to advance their own business interests.
