Jacob Zuma Slams ANC, Accuses It of Gatekeeping Solomon Mahlangu’s Legacy

MAMELODI, GAUTENG— uMKhonto weSizwe (MK) Party president Jacob Zuma accused the African National Congress (ANC) of trying to gatekeep the legacy of anti-apartheid activist Solomon Mahlangu and other anti-apartheid activists. He said that he was entitled to participate in commemorating him despite his expulsion from the ANC.

According to Mail & Guardian, Zuma spoke during the MK Party’s second anniversary commemoration of Mahlangu in Mamelodi, Tshwane, on 24 April 2026. He accused the ANC of failing to deliver liberation and said that he would have tea with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa to confront him about the monopolising of anti-apartheid activists. The MK Party posted about Zuma's attendance of the commemoration on its @uMkhontoweSizwe X account.

Zuma defends right to celebrate Mahlangu

Zuma, who launched the MK Party in December 2024, said that as Mahlangu’s former commander, he had the right to celebrate him. He remarked that the Mkhonto Wesizwe (MK) trained Mahlangu, worked with him and sent him home to fight. He added that the ANC could not say that the MK Party could not celebrate him. He pointed out that those who were not part of the MK structures did not have the power to dictate how struggle icons were honoured.

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Zuma also reiterated that he was still a member of the ANC. This was despite his expulsion from the party in July 2025. Zuma was suspended after launching the party and was accused of bringing the party to disrepute. Despite his expulsion, the MK Party rose to become the official opposition after the 2024 general elections, which it contested for the first time. Zuma appealed his expulsion and recently announced his intent to launch another appeal.

View the MK Party's tweet here:

Source: Briefly News