Jacob Zuma
- Birth name: Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
- Born: 12 April 1942
- Place of birth: Nkandla, Natal, Union of South Africa
- Nationality: South African
- Main activity: Politician, anti-apartheid activist
- Political party: uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party
Jacob Zuma is a former president of South Africa who served from 2009 to 2018. He is also known by his initials, JZ and his clan name, Msholozi. He was an anti-apartheid activist, a member of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the leader of the ANC from 2007 to 2017. He faced criminal charges relating to alleged corruption in a 1999 arms deal. Weeks after Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected to succeed Zuma as ANC president in December 2017, the ANC National Executive Committee recalled Zuma. Following a fifth vote of no confidence in Parliament, he resigned on 14 February 2018 and was succeeded by Ramaphosa the following day.
Career
- Chairperson of ANC’s southern Natal region - 1990
- ANC deputy general secretary - 1991
- Member of the executive committee for economic affairs and tourism in KwaZulu-Natal province - 1994
- Deputy President of ANC - 1997
- Deputy President of South Africa - 1999-2005
- Member of ANC’s National Executive Committee - 2007
- President of South Africa - 2009-2018
- President of : uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party - 2023 - Present
Political Organisation
Zuma was with the ANC, the dominant party in South Africa, from the end of apartheid in 1994 up until 2018. He became the party’s president in 2007, defeating the incumbent Thabo Mbeki. He was re-elected in 2012 but resigned in 2018 after losing the support of many party members amid allegations of corruption and state capture. He is now the President of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. The MK party placed third in the 2024 general national elections, securing 14.58% of the votes and 58 seats in Parliament.
Children
Zuma reportedly has 23 children from his six marriages and other relationships. Some of his notable children are:
- Gugulethu Zuma-Ncube, a film producer and actress
- Thuthukile Zuma, the youngest ministerial chief of staff in South Africa’s history
- Duduzane Zuma, a businessman and political figure
- Duduzile Zuma, a businesswoman and twin sister of Duduzane
Family
Zuma was born in Nkandla, a rural area in KwaZulu-Natal province, to Geinamazwi and Nobhekisisa Zuma. He has two brothers, Michael and Joseph. His policeman father died when he was five years old, and his mother worked as a domestic worker in Durban to support the family. Zuma did not receive any formal schooling and learned to read and write by himself.
Net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Zuma’s net worth is estimated at $20 million (R373 million). However, his wealth has been subject to controversy and scrutiny due to his involvement in various corruption scandals. In 2016, he was ordered by the Constitutional Court to repay some of the public funds that were used to upgrade his private residence in Nkandla.
