South Africa’s ANC top leaders to meet under-pressure Zuma

Monitoring Desk

JOHANNESBURG: The six most powerful officials in South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) will meet President Jacob Zuma on Sunday, a senior party leader said, amid growing pressure for the 75-year old leader to step down.

Zuma, who is battling corruption allegations, has been in a weakened position since he was replaced as leader of the ANC in December by Cyril Ramaphosa, the deputy president.

The party’s “top-six” leadership team is due to meet Zuma later on Sunday, party secretary-general and top-six member Ace Magashule told local media including news channel eNCA and the City Press newspaper.

Magashule said that the removal of Zuma as president of the country was not on the agenda, differing with reports citing unnamed sources in the City Press and Sunday Times newspapers that the leaders would ask the president to resign.

There was no immediate comment from an ANC spokeswoman.

Ramaphosa is in pole position to win an election next year and many in the party want Zuma out so that Ramaphosa can embark on his anti-corruption agenda.

It was unclear if Ramaphosa would be at the meeting which the Sunday Times said was due to held in Pretoria. The ANC leader was in the northern province of Limpopo to urge traditional leaders to support the party in next year’s election.

In public remarks at the event, Ramaphosa did not say if he would be part of the meeting with Zuma, who has been deserted by several prominent allies in the ANC since Ramaphosa took leadership of what is the only party to govern South Africa since the end of apartheid.

Paul Mashatile, a top-six member, told CNBC Africa on Friday the president should step down to avoid two centers of power and his removal via a motion of no-confidence or impeachment.

“It’s really anyone’s guess as to what will come out of the meeting but Zuma’s days in the office can definitely be counted in weeks, not months,” said Jakkie Cilliers, an analyst with the Institute for Security Studies, a Pretoria-based think tank.

Zuma, who has not said whether he will step down voluntarily before his second term as president ends, has been deserted by several prominent allies in the ANC since Ramaphosa took over leadership of what is the only party to govern South Africa since the end of apartheid.

He is due to deliver a speech at the opening of parliament in Cape Town on Thursday, Magashule told eNCA news channel on Sunday. It is unclear if he would still be office to face a fresh no-confidence motion on Feb. 22.

Zuma has survived several no-confidence votes during his rule thanks to loyal voting by ANC lawmakers, who form a strong parliamentary majority. Although Zuma retains the support of a faction within the ANC, he no longer holds a top post.