Former South African President Jacob Zuma was hit by an intoxicated driver while being transported, but he survived the overnight collision, according to police on Friday.
Tensions in the lead-up to voting were further heightened by the incident, which occurred just hours after electoral officials disallowed Zuma from standing in the general election on May 29.
The driver’s car “collided with former president Mr Jacob Zuma’s official armoured state vehicle”, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said.
The 51-year-old man was arrested in KwaZulu Natal province “for drunken driving, as well as on a charge of reckless and negligent driving”, SAPS said.
After making a safe getaway with his bodyguards, 81-year-old Zuma was driven to his home.
Despite being removed from office in 2018 due to corruption charges, former African National Congress (ANC) veteran Zuma continues to have political influence.
He dealt a serious blow to the ANC when he declared in December that he would be running for the opposition uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party in an effort to revive his career.
After failing in its first attempt to have MK disqualified, the ANC filed a new court application against it on Wednesday.
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The ANC claims that MK’s name and logo could mislead or confuse voters because they are similar to those of the ANC’s now-dissolved military wing, which was once led by Nelson Mandela during the apartheid era.
– Theories of conspiracy
Nhlamulo Ndhlela, a spokesman for MK, claimed the vehicle crash was not an accident.
“The police minister who is responsible for the former president’s protection unit has not upgraded his vehicle for eight years and he is the same person that has previously uttered messages around burying Zuma,” Ndhlela told AFP.
“There is underhand at play here,” he said, alleging that Zuma’s car was specifically targeted in the motorcade.
Political tensions are running high in the lead-up to the polls, in which the ANC is on the brink of dropping below 50 per cent of the vote for the first time since it came to power at the end of apartheid in 1994.
A weak economy, accusations of corruption, and poor management are all contributing to the party’s decline in support.
Conspiracy theories about Zuma’s car accident, which occurred two months before the election, have gone viral on social media.
On Tuesday, the other car’s driver is anticipated to appear in court.
When asked how Zuma was, Ndhlela told AFP: “He is in high spirits as always and was in laughter this morning about the accident.
“But it does not mean he took it lightly (or that) he is not aware of what’s happening.”
“Mr Zuma is in the church today praying that the devil does not come into MK,” referring to the ANC.
AFP
