Political analyst Professor Lesiba Joe Teffo says former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma might join forces with the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party led by his father.
The recent announcement by IEC Chairperson Mosotho Moepya that former president Zuma has been removed from the MK party list as a candidate to contest because of his criminal record, Duduzane might be a surprise MK party candidate after the elections.
Duduzane is the president of All Game Changers (AGC) which he describes as a solution driven, all-inclusive political party which advocates a healthy generational mix that drives South Africa's most pressing challenges to enable citizens across the country, continent and the globe.
According to Prof Teffo it will be disingenuous to undermine former President Zuma who is a Chessmaster and a wily tactician.
He also told The Azanian that Zuma is not gunning for the presidency because he cannot afford to lose his pension and benefits.
“He is a Chessmaster, he will step aside after the election. His son might be the surprise candidate, or he will be in the top six. He is a wily tactician. The trophy is the removal from power of the ruling elite. Undermine him at your peril,” Prof Teffo said.
Moepya told the media that the Electoral Commission followed the letter of the Constitution in coming to its decision to remove former President Zuma from the MK party list.
He added that the apex law of the land stipulates that any person convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months imprisonment without the option of a fine is disqualified from standing for elections.
Former president Zuma regrettably will have to wait until 2029 to contest the general elections because he has not finished five years out of jail term.
He returned to the same Correctional Services centre just for his remission to be administered in August last year.
According to Section 47(e) of the country’s Constitution, every citizen who is qualified to vote for the National Assembly is eligible to be a member of the Assembly, except anyone who, after this section took effect, is convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months' imprisonment without the option of a fine, either in the Republic, or outside if the conduct constituting the offence would have been an offence in the Republic.
Despite that the ANC views Duduzane’s move of launching his own party AGC as lack of confidence in his father’s new political home, Prof Teffo believes that Duduzane will join forces with MK party after the elections. He added that Zuma’s son will have a bargaining chip because he has a political party which will bring numbers to the MK party.
Political analyst Professor Lesiba Joe Teffo.
MK party leader Jacob Zuma.
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