Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is a member of the African National Congress (ANC), the party he joined in 1959 and within which he held senior positions for decades. Zuma's presidency was marked by persistent allegations of corruption, state capture and governance failures, culminating in his resignation in February 2018 under pressure from the ANC's national executive committee. Before becoming president, he served as deputy president of South Africa under Thabo Mbeki from 1999 to 2005, a position from which he was dismissed amid corruption charges related to the arms deal. Zuma was elected ANC president in December 2007, defeating Mbeki at the party's Polokwane conference, and led the party to victory in the 2009 and 2014 general elections. His tenure saw the establishment of commissions of inquiry into state capture and governance at state-owned enterprises, many of which implicated individuals in his administration. After leaving office, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment in 2021 for contempt of court after refusing to appear before the Zondo Commission, sparking unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. In 2023 he became the face of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party), a new political formation that contested the 2024 elections and drew support away from the ANC, particularly in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal. Zuma was born in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, in 1942 and was active in the anti-apartheid struggle, serving a ten-year sentence on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela. He rose through ANC structures in exile, serving in the party's intelligence division and later as head of its intelligence department. His political career has been defined by both his role in the liberation movement and the controversies that have surrounded his time in office and beyond.
Jacob Zuma Updates
Kubukeli and Another v uMkhonto weSizwe Party and Others (217118/26) [2026] ZAWCHC 557
25th September 2026 Click here to read the full judgment on Saflii (a) The Presidential Decrees, as reported by the Secretary General of uMkhonto weSizwe Party on 27... →
Can South Africa catch the next state capture early?
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 21st September 2026 A new ISS anti-corruption tracker uses AI to identify patterns and warning signs in a wide range of government institutions. South Africa knows the... →
The Zuma Effect
21st September 2026 Jacob Zuma never had an ideological project – a vision of the nation or a mission of genuine upliftment. Rather, his ambition was rooted in... →
Daily Podcast – September 10, 2026
10th September 2026 September 10, 2026. For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is Polity’s daily podcast. →
South Africa urged to lock in reforms before Ramaphosa leaves 
By: Bloomberg 10th September 2026 South Africa must enshrine its reform process in law to guarantee the momentum gained under President Cyril Ramaphosa endures after he leaves... →
Daily Podcast – September 02, 2026
By: Thabi Shomolekae 2nd September 2026 Making headlines: IEC records 43% surge in candidates for Nov elections; Dirco clears High Commissioner Sooklal of suspicion of facilitating... →
Dirco clears High Commissioner Sooklal of suspicion of facilitating Zuma-Gupta meetings
By: Thabi Shomolekae 2nd September 2026 The Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced on Wednesday that its official mission to India did not facilitate any... →
Zuma and Another v Chairperson of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations Regarding Efforts or Attempts Having Been Made to Stop the Investigation or Prosecution of Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cases and Others (CCT 90/26) [2026] ZACC 3
1st September 2026 Click here to read the full judgment on Saflii “The Commission operates at the intersection of profoundly significant and competing interests: the... →
MKP terminates MPs memberships with immediate effect
By: Thabi Shomolekae 27th August 2026 The MKP has officially expelled Members of Parliament Pumlani Kubukeli and Dr Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala with immediate effect. The decision,... →
Mbalula heads to court, Integrity Commission over Dlamini-Zuma's vote-buying claims
By: Thabi Shomolekae 7th August 2026 ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has announced legal action against party veteran Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, following allegations that he... →
