The Zumas aren’t singing from the same hymn book when it comes to political affiliation, with Jacob Zuma’ s son Edward saying he’s not following his brother and father out of the governing party.
On Sunday, a picture of Edward Zuma, apparently taken in Nkandla, showing him clad in ANC regalia was shared on social media.
This comes at a time when his father is criss-crossing the country in a bid to lure the citizenry to vote for the MK Party, while his brother Duduzane is promoting his own newly established party, All Game Changers.
Edward, Jacob Zuma’s eldest son, told TimesLIVE Premium on Sunday that there should be no expectation for him to campaign for any other party for the upcoming elections just because his father was doing so.
He said he was not planning to leave the ANC just because he is not happy with the leadership of the party.
“I am a member of the ANC. I did not join the ANC because I was following Jacob Zuma. I am an ANC member, not Jacob Zuma’s member,” he said.
“Jacob Zuma is a member of the ANC, even today. He is a member of the ANC that we respect. I have never moved out of the ANC. I joined the ANC, not Jacob Zuma.”
However, his father and brother are not the only family members who have abandoned the gold, black and green. His sister Duduzile has also been vigorously tweeting in support of the MK Party.
Duduzile was sitting alongside her father and even read his speech when he announced that he would campaign for the MK Party for the 2024 national polls.
Edward said he was not fond of President Cyril Ramaphosa and would rather focus on removing him as Luthuli House’s No 1 than leave the ANC.
“I don’t want Cyril [Ramaphosa] because he is destroying the ANC. He has sold the ANC to whites. But I will not leave the ANC because of him. What I will do is to work to ensure that I remove him from the ANC.”
He said he remains a loyal member of the governing party and has no other political home.
“All I say is that I have a problem with the leadership of the ANC, which is headed by Cyril Ramaphosa.”
In December, former president Zuma shocked the country when he announced that he will not be campaigning for the ANC that he has served all his life. Instead, Zuma said he would be campaigning for the newly formed MK Party.
In January, the ANC announced it had suspended Zuma for his decision to campaign for another political party while being a member of the ruling party.
Zuma has started campaigning for the MK Party and has lashed out at the ANC for failing to deliver on the promise of a better life for all.
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