Former South African President Jacob Zuma has been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC) political party, the ANC published a statement on Monday.
Zuma was found guilty of attacking the integrity of the ANC by forming the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party), which is "not in alliance with the ANC."
"Former President Jacob Zuma has actively impugned the integrity of the ANC and campaigned to dislodge the ANC from power while claiming that he had not severed his membership. This conduct is irreconcilable with the spirit of organizational discipline and the letter of the ANC Constitution," the statement read.
Reacting to the unsubstantiated media reports last Sunday, the MK Party said that the expulsion "appears to be a deliberate attempt to undermine" Zuma.
Earlier in July, Zuma refused to appear before the ANC disciplinary committee, which accused him of violating the party's charter. He requested a public face-to-face meeting at the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg, refusing to attend the disciplinary committee, which was scheduled to be conducted via video link.
The MK Party, led by Zuma, came in third in South Africa's general election, winning 58 seats in the country’s national assembly. The party accused the electoral commission of rigging the vote.
The uMkhonto weSizwe was founded in December 2023. The party was named after the ANC's paramilitary wing, which was active until the 1990s.