Zuma: I’ll go – but in 3 months time
But majority in NEC want him out immediately
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma agreed to resign but only in three months. This was tabled at a closed ANC’s national executive committee meeting yesterday by its president Cyril Ramaphosa.
The meeting, held in Irene outside Pretoria, was to decide on Zuma’s future and our reporters understand that his loyalists were pushing for the meeting to accept the three months proposal.
However, a sizeable number of NEC members wanted him gone immediately.
By the time of going to print yesterday, the meeting was still sitting and journalists were camping outside. Security was tight and an hour before the meeting got under way, dozens of police officers in plainclothes were guarding the entrance.
In a surprise move, the usual NEC photo opportunity with journalists did not happen. Staff from Luthuli House, ANC headquarters in Johannesburg, were also moved away from the hall where the NEC met. They normally attend the NEC meetings.
Local and international media continued to camp outside. Some motorists hooted as they drove past on the M57 road.
Ramaphosa went into the meeting clear that Zuma has to resign. He held several meetings with him about his future but Zuma gave him the runaround.
He also invited other ANC officials in some meetings and they felt disrespected by how Zuma treated them.
On Sunday, Ramaphosa gave an indication while in Cape Town that Zuma’s matter has to be settled soon. He said it must be handled with care and purpose, and would put South Africans first.
The country has been at a standstill for two weeks, with opposition parties pushing that Zuma should be made to resign.
The State of Nation Address has been postponed because oppositions parties threatened to interdict parliament to prevent Zuma being the one to open it.
The opening was supposed to have been on February 8 and already Ramaphosa had started exit talks with Zuma.
The ANC is now racing against time because the budget vote is supposed to be tabled in parliament next Wednesday, and it cannot be postponed.
Opposition parties are putting pressure on Speaker Baleka Mbete to bring forward the EFF motion of no-confidence against Zuma that was set for next Thursday.
Yesterday, EFF leader Julius Malema, flanked by other opposition party leaders including the DA’s Mmusi Maimane, gave Mbete until 10am today to confirm that she would bring the motion forward, otherwise they would go to court.