ANC orders Zuma to step down as S. African president
Zuma’s reported response: ‘Do what you want to do’
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s ruling party ordered Jacob Zuma on Tuesday to step down as head of state after marathon talks over the fate of a leader whose scandal-plagued years in power darkened and divided Nelson Mandela’s post-apartheid “Rainbow Nation.”
Leading members of the African National Congress wanted the party’s leader Cyril Ramaphosa to replace Zuma as president, ANC secretary general Ace Magashule told journalists.
But the ANC national executive was split on precisely when Zuma should go, Magashule added.
Magashule said he had met Zuma personally to pass on the decision. “We haven’t given him any deadline to respond... [but] the organization expects him to go,” he said.
The decision to order Zuma’s “recall” – ANC-speak for “remove from office” – followed 13 hours of tense deliberations and one short face-toface exchange between Zuma and Ramaphosa.
Zuma, a polygamous Zulu traditionalist with no formal education, has been living on borrowed time since Ramaphosa, a union leader and lawyer once tipped as Mandela’s pick to take over the reins, was elected as head of the 106-yearold ANC in December.
Ramaphosa narrowly defeated Zuma’s ex-wife and preferred successor Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in the leadership vote, forcing him to tread carefully in handling Zuma for fear of deepening rifts in the party a year ahead of an election.
Despite the damning decision to order Zuma’s “recall” – local media say the 75-year-old may defy the party’s wishes, forcing it to unseat him in parliament.