From Rabat, Jacob Zuma reaffirms support for Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara

On Tuesday, Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, received former South African President Jacob Zuma in Rabat, as part of a visit led by a delegation from his party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK).

During his meeting with the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Zuma voiced support for the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007 for the Sahara region, calling it «a meaningful framework for local governance that also upholds Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara». Following the meeting, the head of the MK party’s presidency delivered an official statement.

«We are honored to be here in Rabat to strengthen the historical ties between our two countries, which go back to the anti-apartheid struggle», the statement read. «We recall that our great leader, Nelson Mandela, received military and financial support in Morocco, and trained in Oujda in 1962, a fact that is unfortunately not acknowledged by the ANC under Ramaphosa».

Zuma’s MK party: South Africa’s third-largest political force

Zuma’s visit also builds on the meeting he held with King Mohammed VI in 2017 on the sidelines of the AU-EU Summit in Côte d’Ivoire, a milestone that gave new momentum to bilateral ties. «The two leaders agreed to overcome past tensions and open a new chapter in their relationship, including the exchange of ambassadors», said the MK official.

However, this diplomatic momentum was soon derailed by the ANC’s more radical factions, which maintain close ties with Algeria and the Polisario Front, particularly after Zuma’s departure from the presidency and the rise of Cyril Ramaphosa.

«Our two countries have immense potential for cooperation», the MK party stressed. «That’s why we are advancing a political vision that proposes a concrete way out of the long-standing deadlock over the Sahara issue: a strategic partnership built on African unity, economic emancipation, and territorial integrity».

Since its founding, the MK has positioned itself against «global geopolitics and the balkanization agenda that seeks to weaken Africa», instead championing «the sovereignty and unity of African states». This stance, the party said, resonates strongly in South Africa, especially as the country faces internal separatist pressures, particularly in the Cape region.

Zuma’s visit comes just weeks after the MK party, established in December 2023, officially recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.

The MK is now South Africa’s third-largest political force in the National Assembly, with 58 seats. It trails behind the Democratic Alliance (DA), led by John Steenhuisen (87 seats), and the African National Congress (ANC) of Cyril Ramaphosa (159 seats).