Zuma removal on meeting agenda

Divisions in the party have widened since the ANC suffered worst-ever electoral result

The top leadership of South Africa’s African National Congress will discuss removing President Jacob Zuma from his post at a meeting this weekend, according to two senior party officials who will be in attendance, with the country in the grips of its biggest political crisis in a decade.

The ANC’s national executive committee is due to discuss a motion of no confidence in Zuma that has been filed by opposition parties in parliament.

Some members of the panel will also raise the possibility of removing Zuma as the nation’s president at the May 26-28 meeting, according to the party officials, who sit on the decision-making body and asked not to be identified because they aren’t authorised to speak publicly on the matter.

While the committee rejected the possibility of ousting Zuma at a meeting in November, opposition to his rule has mounted within the party’s ranks following his March 31 decision to fire Pravin Gordhan as finance minister.

Divisions in the party have widened since the ANC suffered its worst-ever electoral result when it lost control of Johannesburg, the economic hub, Pretoria, the capital, in a municipal vote in August.

ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said that while the agenda will only be set at the meeting, the committee won’t discuss Zuma’s removal.