The uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, has ignited fierce political debate after claiming that Nelson Mandela would have called for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s resignation if he were alive today.
In a sharply worded memorandum released Friday, the MK party accused Ramaphosa’s government of betraying the values Mandela fought for—namely accountability, integrity, and service to the people. The document declares that the late icon would have found recent government scandals “unacceptable” and would have urged Ramaphosa to step down “for the sake of the people.”
The MK party contends that the current ANC leadership has drifted far from Mandela’s ideals, citing rampant corruption and an ever-widening gap between the government and ordinary South Africans. “This is not the ANC Madiba envisioned,” the statement reads.
But the ANC was quick to fire back. Party spokesperson Pule Mabe condemned the remarks as “divisive and unfounded,” accusing the MK party of weaponizing Mandela’s legacy for political gain. “Madiba stood for unity and collective leadership,” Mabe said, stressing that Mandela would never support such polarizing tactics.
The controversy has reignited a broader conversation in South Africa: who truly carries the mantle of Mandela’s legacy, and how should his principles be applied in today’s fractured political landscape?
As the MK party continues to position itself as a watchdog against perceived ANC failures, the war over Mandela’s memory is becoming a powerful—and volatile—political weapon.
