Former South African President Jacob Zuma’s trip to Morocco in July pushed the long-running Sahara dispute from diplomatic backrooms into South Africa’s public sphere, according to a new study.
The analysis, published by the Policy Center for the New South, said the visit sparked an unusually wide debate in South Africa’s media and politics. More than 2,200 posts appeared on X, formerly Twitter, alongside at least 20 news articles.
Much of the attention focused on images of Zuma standing in Rabat next to the South African flag and the response from South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
The study found that the debate was driven by a small group of influential figures and outlets, which amplified divisions between supporters and critics of Morocco’s position on the Sahara.
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress and the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters opposed Morocco, while Zuma’s new party, uMkhonto weSizwe, defended Morocco’s territorial integrity. Researchers said the framing shifted from a “decolonization issue” to one of “national unity and anti-secession,” making it less politically costly for parties to remain neutral or supportive of Morocco.
The study also highlighted changes in parliamentary dynamics. With the ANC no longer holding an outright majority, space has opened for a bloc of parties that are either neutral or more favorable to Morocco.
Media coverage played a key role in legitimizing diverse perspectives, the report said, gradually normalizing pro-Morocco positions by tying them to South African values such as sovereignty and national unity.
The study concluded that while South Africa’s official policy has not changed, the political debate has entered a new phase where multiple narratives compete and the once-dominant anti-Morocco stance faces open challenge.
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