FOR years the ANC has seen disgruntled and expelled members leave the party to form their own or join other political parties.
The first trench of exodus started in 1997 when the UDM was formed. It was formed by a prominent former National Party leader and businessman, Roelf Meyer, former ANC and Transkei homeland leader, General Bantu Holomisa and former ANC National Executive Committee member, John Taylor.
Another party was formed in 2008 just after the ANC Limpopo Conference in December 2007 when it became clear that a split in the party was imminent following the removal of then President Thabo Mbeki.
Those defeated in Limpopo left the party and a year later, Cope was formed by the likes of current Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota, former politician now turned businessman, Mbhazima Shilowa and the late South African activist, Mluleki George.
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Four years later another party was formed. The EFF was formed by expelled ANC youth leader Julius Malema after his fall out with former president Jacob Zuma.
Malema left with several people who were his allies in the youth league and his party has since become one of the parties to watch out for in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Some members have left the ANC without forming their own parties and have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with the former and current administrations.
New parties which were recently formed include the African Transformation Movement and African Congress for Transformation.
In one of his speeches after the formation of the EFF, the former president said: “We need to know that the road to success will not always be smooth. It will test your strengths. Some among us will feel tired and get off. Some will opt for the easy route.
“Some will be fooled by others to leave the ANC to form own parties. It's normal for liberation parties after 20 years in power. Opportunists show themselves. The ANC is experiencing the same phenomenon. We had the same with Cope. People who were trusted fell off.”
In another address, Zuma said: “If you see me calling the media to say the ANC is doing things wrong, just know that I'm starting to go crazy. A veteran like me can't go the media and make public announcement about ANC problems.
“That's not how ANC members behave. The veteran’s league is exactly for that. It's a structure for aggrieved ANC elders to raise their issues. Not the media."
Zuma further said as an ANC member, it was an offence to go around to canvass people to speak ill about the party.
Turning on his word on Saturday, 16 December, Zuma sang a different tune against the ANC. Though he said he was still a member, he announced that he won’t be campaigning or even vote for the party in the 2024 general elections.
In his defence, he said the ANC of today is not the once great movement that they loved and were prepared to lay down their lives for.
He said he will die a member of the ANC, but that it had changed into an organisation they no longer recognise. He said some leaders were behaving in an un-ANC manner and he intended to rescue the organisation.
Political analyst and ANC veteran, Omry Makgoale, said he was not surprised by Zuma’s move, but he is disappointed.
He also said the ANC needs to discipline him, but also mentioned that the ANC problems are not only Zuma, but there are also internal problems in the party.
He said the ANC has an internal corruption problem and they need to clean out all those who have been implicated in all corruption scandals, including State Capture and the VBS saga.
“They need to be removed from leadership positions so that they can be able to gain votes from people,” he said.
