Also known as: former South African President Jacob Zuma · President Zuma · President Jacob Zuma · Erstwhile President Jacob Zuma · former President Jacob Zuma · uBaba · Mr Zuma · sitting President of South Africa
Former South African President whose party's 2022 leadership decisions prompted Constitutional Court intervention and subsequent impeachment proceedings against successor Ramaphosa.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
The Namibian
Zuma abused the NPA in all sorts of ways, particularly through weak appointments
“Zuma himself abused the NPA in all sorts of ways, particularly through weak appointments.”
South Africa’s criminal justice system needs a revolutionThe Namibian
Former president Jacob Zuma was in tension with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan during State Capture era
“This was one of the reasons for the tension between former president Jacob Zuma and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan at the height of the State Capture era.”
SA’s second-most powerful politician flexes his muscles — with President Ramaphosa’s backingThe Namibian
Jacob Zuma currently has four wives and six marriages total, estimated 20 children
“The 84-year-old currently has four wives, has been married six times and is estimated to have 20 children.”
Hit South African show gets the world talking about polygamy and cheatingThe Namibian
Former president Jacob Zuma expressed surprise that the meeting had been requested for the reason Shongwe described, as this had not been disclosed to him up front surprise at the meeting's purpose not being disclosed up front
“President Zuma expressed surprise that this was the reason the meeting had been requested, as this had not been disclosed to him up front; he had only been informed that they wished to praise our work on the ad hoc committee, as many individuals do.”
‘Zuma surprised at Khan and company’s hush money-style meeting with me’ — MK party’s ShongweThe Namibian
former South African President Jacob Zuma was arrested triggering deadly riots in July 2021
“In July 2021, the army was also deployed to help quell the deadly riots that had hit the country after the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma.”
South African army arrive in crime hotspots to help tackle gangsThe Namibian
Jacob Zuma had an intimate dinner with Jeffrey Epstein and a Russian model
“Seemingly, the sitting President of South Africa had an intimate dinner with Epstein – and a Russian model.”
Revealed: Jacob Zuma’s intimate dinner with Jeffrey EpsteinThe Namibian
former president Jacob Zuma presided over populism at conferences that is now gone
“More than 120,000 of the ANC's members have undergone political education; the populism at conferences that was rife under former president Jacob Zuma is gone.”
The race to rule the ANC after Cyril — new numbers, new front-runnersThe Namibian
Jacob Zuma formed uMkhonto Wesizwe in 2023
“Jacob Zuma formed MK in 2023 after a massive fall-out with current President Cyril Ramaphosa.”
Ex-president's daughter sworn in as South African MP after half-sister quitsThe Namibian
Jacob Zuma leads the country's main opposition party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK)
“The BBC has heard voice notes Sipho sent to his family, in which he says he was recruited by two people – one of them being Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, the daughter of Jacob Zuma, the former president who now leads the country's main opposition party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK).”
‘Scared and desperate' – the South Africans who claim they were duped by Zuma's daughter to fight for RussiaThe Namibian
Jacob Zuma wrote urging Russian Defence Minister to remove South Africans from combat zone
“News24 reported that it was in possession of a letter written by Zuma in September, urging Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov to remove the South Africans from the combat zone to safer surroundings.”
Jacob Zuma’s failed mercenary ambitions — from China to Russia, the road is littered with abandoned recruitsAn opinion piece argues that South Africa's criminal justice system is fundamentally broken and requires a revolution rather than incremental reforms, citing recent leadership failures at the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption and the National Prosecuting Authority.
3 August 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that South Africa's criminal justice system is fundamentally broken and requires a revolution rather than incremental reforms, citing recent leadership failures at the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption and the National Prosecuting Authority.
3 August 2026 · The Namibian →
South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is wielding considerable power as the second-most influential figure in government after President Cyril Ramaphosa, as demonstrated by his decisions at the Public Investment Corporation and actions affecting municipalities. The article notes that a finance minister typically holds more actual authority than other senior officials due to their control over the national budget, and Godongwana has been able to exercise this power with clear presidential backing.
30 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Parliament's impeachment committee voted 14–13 to appeal an interdict halting public proceedings against President Ramaphosa over the Phala Phala forex theft; delays over procedural matters such as appointing evidence leaders and finalising terms of reference suggest a lengthy process ahead if hearings commence.
30 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Netflix's 22-episode series "The Polygamist," released on 12 June, follows a wealthy Johannesburg businessman with multiple wives and a mistress, generating widespread social media discussion across Africa and internationally, with reactions ranging from memes to celebrity tweets.
4 July 2026 · The Namibian →
MK party MP Vusi Shongwe told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that Crime Intelligence officer Feroz Khan offered to "look after" him and a cigarette businessman offered R10m after Shongwe raised issues about Khan in Parliament, which allegedly surprised party leader Jacob Zuma.
1 July 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece argues that anti-immigrant movements in South Africa distract from the real causes of the country's development failures, including state capture and high-level corruption that have cost the government far more in lost public funds than immigration.
29 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Undocumented migrants in South Africa, particularly Malawians, face door-to-door intimidation and violence as protesters have set 30 June as a deadline for them to leave. Up to 7,000 foreigners have gathered in an open field in Durban seeking refuge, with reports of armed South African men attacking residents and threatening deportation.
17 June 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's Constitutional Court has ruled that the National Assembly's December 2022 vote declining to refer an independent panel's report on President Cyril Ramaphosa to an impeachment committee was unconstitutional and invalid, and has now referred the report directly to the impeachment committee. An analyst says the ANC's use of majoritarian tactics to shield Ramaphosa has left the party in crisis ahead of 2026 local elections.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
A Constitutional Court ruling has forced Parliament to consider impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over allegations concerning US dollars stolen from his home. However, analysis suggests it is unlikely he will be removed from office, as a two-thirds majority of MPs would be required and the ANC's interests appear to align with his remaining in power.
11 May 2026 · The Namibian →
The National Freedom Party has expelled its sole representative in the KZN legislature, Mbali Shinga, after she defied party leadership to vote against a motion of no confidence in Premier Thami Ntuli in December, preventing the MK party from seizing control of the province.
28 April 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's military has been deployed to five provinces to help police combat gang violence and illicit mining. Security experts warn that military deployment rarely delivers lasting results without addressing root causes of crime, and residents express mixed views on whether soldiers will improve safety.
2 April 2026 · The Namibian →
The Namibian's analysis of Mosiuoa Lekota, who died on Wednesday, argues that his role in forming the Congress of the People in 2008 was equally vital to his anti-apartheid activism. By breaking the ANC's political dominance, Cope's 1.3 million votes prevented Zuma's government from securing a two-thirds majority, shifted South African politics from racial to policy-based competition, and inspired the formation of other parties including the EFF and ActionSA, fundamentally changing the country's democratic trajectory.
5 March 2026 · The Namibian →
Newly released US Department of Justice records show convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein cultivated extensive ties to South Africa dating to the 1980s, networked with prominent South African businessmen and officials, and used scouts and intermediaries to recruit South African women and girls through modelling opportunities and employment offers.
4 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Released US Justice Department documents show that former South African President Jacob Zuma attended an intimate dinner organised by late sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein at the Ritz Hotel in London on 5 March 2010, during an official state visit to the United Kingdom.
2 February 2026 · The Namibian →
South Africa's Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini used a derogatory term for African migrants and called for them to leave the country during a speech in KwaZulu-Natal, drawing concern from human rights experts who warn his comments risk encouraging vigilante action against foreigners in a region already marked by anti-migrant tensions.
2 February 2026 · The Namibian →