ANC committee deliberates South African leader’s fate

JOHANNESBURG — South Africans on Monday awaited an end to a period of political limbo in which President Jacob Zuma has remained in office despite calls for him to resign because of corruption allegations.

The uncertainty over the fate of the leader of one of Africa’s biggest economies, who appears politically damaged beyond repair, stirred speculation that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, Zuma’s expected successor, had been negotiating a deal with the president in exchange for his resignation.

Ramaphosa has said that a key committee of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party planned to finalize “a transition to a new administration” at a meeting that began on Monday afternoon and stretched into the night, more than seven hours later.

The ANC said late Monday it will announce the results of a marathon meeting of its national executive committee at noon on Tuesday.

Opposition leaders have denounced unconfirmed reports that Zuma previously asked for concessions in exchange for his resignation, saying he should be tried if corruption charges are brought against him and go to jail if found guilty.

Zuma’s public profile is diminished — he did not deliver the state of the nation address last week and canceled a scheduled appearance in Cape Town on Saturday.

Zuma has been discredited by a series of scandals, although he denies wrongdoing. South Africa’s top court ruled that he violated the constitution following an investigation of multimillion-dollar upgrades to his private home that were paid by the state; a judicial commission is about to start a probe of alleged looting of state enterprises by Zuma’s associates; and prosecutors are expected to announce soon whether they will reinstate corruption charges tied to an arms deal two decades ago.