JZ resigns but remains defiant

I’ve done no wrong, why sack me, pleads the president to no avail

President Jacob Zuma yesterday presented himself as the victim who did not understand why the ANC leadership have recalled him as the country’s number one.

In an interview with the SABC responding to a letter sent to him by the ANC informing him to resign, Zuma said he did not understand why the “rush” to get rid of him because he had done nothing wrong.

He claimed that the ANC officials, who included party president Cyril Ramaphosa, had never given him reasons why he should resign during their private meeting they held with him.

“What is it that I have done. No one has told me what I have done. Some of the people in the ANC leadership now have always said I must step down, now they are in a position of authority.

“I need to be furnished with what I have done. I find this to be very unfair.”

He added: “This is being done in a manner that I felt I have been victimised here.”

Zuma had been haunted by one scandal after another, which led to some ANC leaders and some citizens calling for his head.

The Constitutional Court found him to be in breach of his oath of office, while there were several allegations of corruption against him that could lead to charges and his controversial relationship with the Gupta family.

He claimed that some ANC leaders were already talking about forcing him to resign at the ANC national conference in December.

He confirmed meeting with the officials, including last week Tuesday night.

He said he made a proposal to Ramaphosa on how they could work together and argued

that he could not resign because he wanted to introduce Ramaphosa at the African Union and Brics economic bloc meetings in the next few months.

“He agreed with everything. Then on Sunday night he (Ramaphosa) arrived with other officials; they were in another mood.

“The ANC president told me he put my proposal to the top six and they did not agree. They told me they have pressure from colleagues that they have never seen,” he said.

He said the current NEC was dominated by leaders who did not like him, which was why his proposed package to Ramaphosa did not see the light of the day during the meeting.

“No one is talking about the package I presented. I think it is unfair. There is such a rush to get rid of me.

“Tomorrow I hear there is going to be a motion of no confidence .... what is the rush?”