3 days ago
MKP, Morocco Alliance A Betrayal of the Saharawi Struggle
Sahrawi refugees attend the military parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Polisario Front and the outbreak of the armed struggle for the independence of Western Sahara in Aousserd in Tindouf southwest of Algiers, Algeria, May 20, 2023.
Image: AFP
Reneva Fourie
The Umkhonto we Sizwe Party's (MKP) growing relationship with the Kingdom of Morocco, as laid out in the document titled 'A Strategic Partnership for African Unity, Economic Emancipation and Territorial Integrity: Morocco', was recently strengthened during a high-profile visit to Morocco by MKP leader, Jacob Zuma.
This deepening alliance raises serious questions about the MKP's ideological commitments and political motivations, especially in light of Morocco's controversial political stance and human rights record.
MKP's partnership with a country with deep links to Israel – and one that has been complicit in the ongoing occupation and human rights violations against the Saharawi people – is a marked departure from the party's earlier messaging as a champion of anti-colonialism and African self-determination.
Rather than standing in solidarity with the oppressed, MKP now appears to be embracing and legitimising imperialist interests, thereby aligning itself with Western political and economic agendas on the continent.
Morocco's relationship with Israel is particularly contentious and is rejected by significant segments of its population. On 10 December 2020, the US government announced a normalisation agreement between Israel and Morocco. By 22 December 2020, the two countries signed a joint statement committing to initiate direct flights to enhance economic collaboration and establish full diplomatic ties.
As part of this arrangement, the US agreed to recognise Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara and endorsed Morocco's autonomy proposal as the only framework for negotiations. Among Morocco's acts of complicity in Israel's current genocide in Gaza is allowing an Israeli warship to dock at Tangier for refuelling and resupplying while en route from the US.
In openly supporting Morocco's position on Western Sahara, the MKP has abandoned its previous support for the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The party's endorsement of Morocco's so-called autonomy proposal, a model widely spurned by the Saharawi people, represents a profound betrayal of Africa's last colony and a reversal of MKP's previously stated values.
This change in posture was publicly confirmed by former MKP Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu during a media briefing held on 19 June. Shivambu alleged that following his removal from the party, MKP reversed its pro-Western Sahara position and quietly adopted a pro-Moroccan outlook. More alarmingly, he revealed that this change was transactional.
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He said: 'You can see that statement which is issued in the name of MKP is written by the Moroccan embassy here in South Africa to impose a position on MK on the basis that there would be money exchanges. '
This revelation endorses speculation around the commodification of MKP's foreign policy. A party that earlier claimed to be rooted in progressive, pan-Africanist values now appears to be for sale to the highest bidder. In aligning with Morocco, MKP is turning its back not only on the Saharawi people but also on SA's historical and principled stance in support of decolonisation, justice, and international law.
The betrayal is not just political; it is also historical. MKP's formation was controversial from the start, particularly due to its appropriation of the name 'Umkhonto we Sizwe', the military wing established by the ANC and SACP, that had fought bravely against apartheid. In adopting this name, the party sought to draw legitimacy from a liberation movement it does not authentically represent.
Now, the MKP is further distorting history by omitting key facts, such as the role of Algeria's National Liberation Front (FLN) – which had resistance bases operating from the Moroccan border – in training Nelson Mandela. By erasing this history, MKP not only misleads the public but also insults the legacy of those who fought for Africa's true liberation.
The MKP's foreign policy shift brings it uncomfortably close to the Democratic Alliance (DA), a party long criticised for undermining SA's official positions on international solidarity. Like the DA, MKP now travels abroad to make pronouncements that directly contradict SA's stated policies and undermine the dignity of its people.
One of the most disturbing displays of this was the presence of the South African flag next to that of Morocco during an MKP press briefing in the country. The use of national symbols in partisan activities hosted by foreign governments is deeply deceptive. It not only misrepresents the country's position but also compromises its sovereignty and diplomatic integrity.
SA's position on Western Sahara has long been consistent with international law. Since 2004, it has officially recognised the SADR and called for a United Nations-backed referendum on independence. The UN classified Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory as early as 1963. General Assembly resolutions 2072 and 2229 emphasised the need for a self-determination process.
In 1975, Spain conferred administrative control of the territory to Morocco and Mauritania, ignoring UN resolutions and the rights of the Saharawi people. This led to the formation of the Polisario Front, a staunch ally of the FLN and ANC. Although Mauritania relinquished its claims in 1979, Morocco has persisted in its occupation, with regular reports of oppression, imprisonment, and abuse of the Saharawi people.
MKP's current position places it in direct violation of domestic, continental, and international legal frameworks. The leaders of the MKP are well aware of this legal and historical context, but have chosen to repackage it to justify the newfound leaning towards the ally of the US and Israel.
Morocco's strategy of using economic incentives to shift foreign policy in its favour is not new. Since becoming king, Mohammed VI has led a diplomatic offensive that also encompasses Sub-Saharan Africa. The SADR had initially received recognition from 84 UN member states. Some have since either frozen or revoked their recognition. The MKP is among those that have succumbed to Morocco's seduction.
By turning its back on the people of the SADR and disregarding SA's official foreign policy, the MKP is also abandoning the very people it claims to represent. This betrayal must be seen for what it is: a dangerous pivot toward political expediency and opportunism, masquerading as a strategic partnership. In doing so, MKP has positioned itself not as a defender of African liberation, but as a willing participant in its erosion.
* Dr Reneva Fourie is a policy analyst specialising in governance, development and security.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
