Mr. Zuma, who served as the country's president from 2009 to 2018, expressed his disappointment with the current state of the ANC under President Cyril Ramaphosa.

At a news conference in Soweto, Mr. Zuma, who was not feeling well enough to speak himself, had one of his daughters read a statement on his behalf. The statement emphasized that while the ANC was once a great liberation movement, it had transformed into an organization that Mr. Zuma claims he no longer recognizes.

Citing leaders who were behaving in an "un-ANC manner," Mr. Zuma expressed his intention to "rescue" the party. He went on to criticize President Ramaphosa, calling him a "proxy of white monopoly capital" and accusing his government of failing the country. Mr. Zuma also alleged a deliberate plot to undermine and kill the ANC.

In response to his disillusionment with the ANC, Mr. Zuma unveiled his new political party named uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), which happens to share the same name as the former armed wing of the ANC. The MK, in which Mr. Zuma was a member, played a significant role in the fight against apartheid in South Africa. The party's declaration stated that "the new people's war starts today" and that instead of bullets, this time they would use the ballot.

Mr. Zuma predicted that the ANC would lose the upcoming national elections, reinforcing his belief that the party had strayed from its original ideals. He pledged his support for the newly registered MK party and condemned campaigning for the ANC under President Ramaphosa, calling it a path to failure and a government lead by "sell-outs and apartheid collaborators".

Throughout his statement, Mr. Zuma made references to the need for socio-economic justice and equality, stating that reconciliation cannot be achieved without them. He emphasized the "people's thirst for freedom" and expressed his belief that no force could suppress it.

Jacob Zuma's time as South Africa's president was marked by controversy and allegations of corruption. He resigned in 2018 under mounting pressure from within the ANC and was succeeded by President Ramaphosa. In 2021, he was jailed for contempt of court and released on medical grounds after two months.

The announcement of Mr. Zuma's new party adds further complexity to South Africa's political landscape ahead of the national elections next year, which are expected to be highly competitive. The ANC, which has been in power since 1994, now faces the challenge of restoring its image and securing the trust of its constituents amidst growing discontent.