Duduzane Zuma, the son of former president Jacob Zuma, has always been a close ally of his father. However, since 2021, their relationship has reportedly broken down due to the scandals involving the Gupta brothers.
The rift between them has become evident with Duduzane forming his own political party called the All-Game Changers, instead of supporting his father’s newly formed Umkhonto WeSizwe Party.
Duduzane has made it clear that he will not campaign for the ANC led by Cyril Ramaphosa, but rather for the MK Party.
While he insists that there is no bad blood between him and his father, he does blame him for playing a role in the failed state of affairs in South Africa. It is alleged that Duduzane has not been home since the July 2021 unrest, further highlighting the strain in their relationship.
In an interview, Duduzane expressed his desire to distance himself from his father, stating that he is his own man. He emphasised that he supports his father but believes that new leadership is needed for the country.
Duduzane criticised his father’s leadership style, calling for young people to take charge and for South Africans to change their mindsets.
One of the reasons behind the alleged rift is Duduzane’s business dealings with the Gupta family. He claims that his business was taken away, resulting in the loss of billions in value. The association with the Gupta brothers has caused further strain between Duduzane and his father.
As the Jacob Zuma Foundation, they have chosen not to comment on the Zuma family matters, leaving the public to speculate on the nature of the rift between father and son.
