Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma is a former President of South Africa (2009-2018) and leader of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), which he founded ahead of the 2024 general election after being expelled from the African National Congress. His nine-year presidency is widely associated with state capture, corruption and mismanagement that weakened institutions including the South African Revenue Service and Transnet, with the Zondo Commission estimating losses of between R500-billion and R1.5-trillion to the state. He continues to face long-running legal proceedings, including a decades-old arms deal corruption case marked by repeated procedural challenges. As MKP leader, Zuma remains a significant political force, drawing support that eroded the ANC's majority in 2024 and posing a continuing challenge to the reform agenda pursued by his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa. He has issued controversial internal party decrees, including expulsions later overturned by the courts, and his health and foreign travel, including a private visit to India where he was seen alongside fugitive businessman Ajay Gupta, have drawn public and diplomatic scrutiny. Zuma contested the November 2026 municipal elections as MKP leader despite hospitalisation shortly beforehand. Analysts and commentators continue to characterise his presidency as driven by personal interest rather than ideological vision, with lasting effects on South Africa's economy, public institutions and political landscape.
Jacob Zuma Updates
South Africa's splintering vote sets up multi-party battle for cities
By: Reuters 2nd November 2026 The first time Mpho Moroka voted, in 2008, she backed the African National Congress. Almost two decades on, the unemployed 38-year-old from Soweto... →
IMF lauds South Africa’s fiscal gains, sees growth as next test
By: Bloomberg 28th October 2026 The International Monetary Fund said South Africa is restoring fiscal credibility despite geopolitical risks, but needs to deliver faster economic... →
Youth employment: the need for a three-pronged approach
By: Econ3x3 22nd October 2026 The limits to job creation in the formal economy are well documented. This is why policies to boost job creation need to ensure that public... →
South Africa on path to investment-grade rating, Investec says 
By: Bloomberg 19th October 2026 South Africa stands a good chance of regaining its investment-grade credit rating within two years and next week’s mid-term budget could take... →
South Africa court rulings may lift confidence, PSG chief says
By: Bloomberg 16th October 2026 Court rulings on some of South Africa’s most contested laws could improve business sentiment after years of policy uncertainty, according to the... →
Daily Podcast – October 13, 2026
By: Halima Frost 13th October 2026 Making headlines: SA’s record Class of 2026 begins final exams amid calls for systemic reform; Zuma released from hospital; And, Joburg Water depot... →
South Africa need not wait for corruption convictions
By: ISS, Institute for Security Studies 12th October 2026 The country has several powerful tools to prevent corruption before more damage is done. Why aren’t they being used? For many South Africans,... →
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... →
