Secret talks on an early exit for Zuma

insulting him” — a reference to accusations by supporters of Dlamini-Zuma that the Mpumalanga premier backtracked on a promise to get his province to support her.

“The likelihood is that DD will be with us. It’s a question of numbers in the NEC. I think we are in a better position than them. We’re dealing with a president who in two years’ time will be president [of] the country and that’s a serious factor in our favour . . . we also have the numbers there, we’re not going in with 30 people. We have over 40 comrades who are very progressive.”

A newly elected NEC member known to be a lobbyist for Dlamini-Zuma said her supporters agreed in principle that Zuma would have to go. But he said he and other supporters of Dlamini-Zuma would block any attempt to discuss the matter at the first NEC meeting, scheduled for January 10 in East London. “For 2019 he will have to go [but] . . . we won’t allow it before [the January 8 rally],” the NEC member said.

He said that because the NEC was split between Ramaphosa supporters and Dlamini-Zuma supporters, Zuma’s exit would have to be “amicable and managed”.

Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa, who stood for the post of national chairman on the Dlamini-Zuma slate, said it would be incorrect to raise Zuma’s removal at an ANC meeting.

“The NEC will have to sit down, look at issues and look at resolutions. It will be difficult to attack individuals without reflecting on issues. I don’t think it will be correct. We must not rush things because it might divide the ANC.”

Mthethwa said party decisions taken by the new NEC should not appear to be factional.

“There is no NDZ17 or CR17. There is a leadership that is being led by Comrade Ramaphosa.”

Another NEC member said that it would be “logistically impossible” to remove Zuma before the state of the nation address, which heralds the opening of parliament. If the NEC decided to recall him as head of state, it would have to call a sitting of parliament to give effect to it.

“But I think CR will build a case against Baba in the meantime,” the NEC member said.

A member of the executive noted that Ramaphosa would “give Zuma a long rope to hang himself”.