Ramaphosa avoids questions on ZEXIT

CAPE TOWN - African National Congress leader Cyril Ramaphosa avoided questions about the future of South African President Jacob Zuma yesterday as the party’s executive body called a meeting to discuss a transition of power.

Zuma, in power since 2009 and battling corruption allegations, has been living on borrowed time since Ramaphosa replaced him as leader of the ruling party in December.

Ramaphosa said last week that he hoped to conclude talks with Zuma on a transition of power “in coming days ... in the interests of the country.”

ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said the party’s National Executive Committee, which has the power to instruct Zuma to resign, would meet today, but Ramaphosa declined to comment further on the leadership as he arrived for a service at Cape Town’s Anglican St George’s Cathedral yesterday.

“We leave this church well armed with the good blessings and prayer... so as the leadership of the ANC we have been well empowered as we move ahead... and as we manage this transition,” Ramaphosa told reporters.

ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said the party needed time to deal with discussions on Zuma’s future.

“The matters that are at hand, they are not simple matters, they are complex matters, we have faith in (Ramaphosa) and his ability to find solutions to take us forward,” Duarte told local news service Eyewitness News on Sunday.

A senior ANC source told Reuters that the ANC’s executive committee would discuss Zuma’s situation at its meeting today.

The party had originally planned to hold an executive meeting next weekend but Mabe said it had been brought forward to today to discuss the leadership.

Zuma, who no longer holds a top position in the party, has not said whether he will resign voluntarily before his second term as president ends in the middle of next year.

Zuma also faces another no-confidence vote against his leadership in parliament on February 22, brought by the ultra-left Economic Freedom Fighters party. –

REUTERS.