Former South African President Jacob Zuma is facing backlash from his country’s Foreign Ministry after expressing support for Morocco’s Sahara autonomy plan during a July visit to Rabat as leader of the MK party. South Africa’s DIRCO condemned the use of national symbols during Zuma’s meeting with Moroccan officials, calling it a misrepresentation of official state positions and demanding Morocco refrain from such actions.
After losing several of the Polisario’s traditional allies across Africa, Algeria is eager to prevent South Africa from taking the same path. In response to Jacob Zuma’s recent stance on the Western Sahara issue, Algerian authorities have sent envoys to Pretoria.