Algeria fears Zuma’s Morocco support could erode Western Sahara backing

Former South African President Jacob Zuma’s recent endorsement of Morocco’s position on Western Sahara has raised alarms in Algiers, according to Moroccan outlet Yabiladi. In response, Algeria has reportedly dispatched a diplomatic delegation to South Africa to gauge the potential fallout.

South Africa has long been one of Algeria’s main allies in supporting the Polisario Front, which advocates for the independence of the Sahrawi people in Western Sahara. Although Zuma no longer holds office, he remains an influential figure—especially among South Africa’s powerful Zulu community—and has launched a new political movement, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.

Algerian diplomats are reportedly meeting with senior members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in Pretoria to discuss the implications of Zuma’s remarks. Their visit comes amid rising tensions within South Africa’s governing coalition. The Democratic Alliance (DA), which represents much of the white minority, has filed complaints against two ANC ministers over disputes related to housing and higher education.

Algeria fears that if South Africa’s political landscape shifts—potentially weakening the ANC’s grip on power—it could lose a vital partner in its support for Western Sahara’s independence movement.