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Jacob Zuma meets cabinet ministers amid calls for his resignation Major Jacob Zuma speech postponed amid ANC crisis
(about 3 hours later)
Pressure is mounting for the South African president to resign ahead of a key national address Pressure mounts on South Africa president to resign, as his party prepares to decide next step
Jason Burke Africa correspondentJason Burke Africa correspondent
Tue 6 Feb 2018 10.53 GMT Tue 6 Feb 2018 13.37 GMT
First published on Tue 6 Feb 2018 09.38 GMTFirst published on Tue 6 Feb 2018 09.38 GMT
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Jacob Zuma is meeting cabinet ministers in Cape Town, as pressure mounts on the embattled South African president to resign before a key national address this week. Jacob Zuma’s annual state of the nation address, which he was due to deliver on Thursday, has been postponed, suggesting the embattled South African president is close to leaving office.
A presidential spokesman denied domestic media reports that the ministers had been summoned especially, instead describing the meeting as “routine”. The unprecedented measure underlines the crisis within the ruling African National Congress as the party tries to manage an increasingly chaotic transfer of power from the incumbent president to his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Senior leaders of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) met Zuma over the weekend to ask him to step down. Local media reported that the 75-year-old president, who is battling corruption allegations, refused. “We decided to approach [President Jacob Zuma] to postpone the state of the nation address ... We need to create room for establishing a much more conducive atmosphere in parliament,” Baleka Mbete, the national assembly speaker, told reporters outside parliament in Cape Town. Mbete did not give a new date for the speech.
The party’s national working committee, one of its highest decision-making bodies, met on Monday in Johannesburg. After seven hours of talks, it issued a statement saying the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC), a larger and more senior body, would meet on Wednesday to consider its next step. Senior ANC leaders met Zuma over the weekend to ask him to step down. Local media reported that the 75-year-old, who is battling corruption allegations, refused.
The ANC’s national executive committee, its top decision-making body, will meet on Wednesday to consider its next step.
“[The] postponement ... indicates just how much power has shifted from President Zuma as he can no longer – as constitutional head of state – present his opening address,” tweeted Daniel Silke, a local commentator. “While Zuma might cling to power for another few days, he is now unable to address his own parliament. It’s a messy transition that needs a decisive resolution.”
One possibility is that Zuma will be ordered to resign by the NEC, though this may raise significant constitutional issues. According to ANC rules, all members – even elected officials – fulfil their functions according to the will of the party.
His premature departure – Zuma’s second five-year term is due to expire next year – would consolidate the power of Ramaphosa, who was elected ANC leader in December and is the country’s deputy president.
Supporters of Ramaphosa, a multimillionaire businessman who is seen as the standard bearer of the party’s reformist wing, say it is essential that Zuma is sidelined as early as possible to allow the ANC to regroup before campaigning starts in earnest for elections in 2019.
Zuma is facing 18 charges of money laundering, racketeering and fraud based on allegations relating to more than 700 payments between 1995 and 2000s. Some of the charges are said to be linked to a multibillion-dollar arms deal in 1999. The charges were dropped shortly before Zuma became president in 2009, but were reinstated in 2016. He is appealing against that decision, and denies any wrongdoing.Zuma is facing 18 charges of money laundering, racketeering and fraud based on allegations relating to more than 700 payments between 1995 and 2000s. Some of the charges are said to be linked to a multibillion-dollar arms deal in 1999. The charges were dropped shortly before Zuma became president in 2009, but were reinstated in 2016. He is appealing against that decision, and denies any wrongdoing.
In 2014 a constitutionally mandated independent corruption watchdog accused Zuma of spending millions of pounds of taxpayer's money to turn his house in his home village of Nkandla into a display of “opulence on a grand scale”. Zuma denied the charge but South Africa’s highest court eventually forced him to repay some of the money.In 2014 a constitutionally mandated independent corruption watchdog accused Zuma of spending millions of pounds of taxpayer's money to turn his house in his home village of Nkandla into a display of “opulence on a grand scale”. Zuma denied the charge but South Africa’s highest court eventually forced him to repay some of the money.
The president has repeatedly been accused of improper relations with the Guptas, a very wealthy family of businessmen. Zuma’s son works for the Guptas and the president is accused of allowing the family to benefit from government contracts and handpick senior officials. Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing.The president has repeatedly been accused of improper relations with the Guptas, a very wealthy family of businessmen. Zuma’s son works for the Guptas and the president is accused of allowing the family to benefit from government contracts and handpick senior officials. Zuma and the Guptas deny any wrongdoing.
In 2016, Zuma was forced to order a review of the purchase with public funds of hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cars for his four wives. The 11 cars included four Range Rover SUVs and, two Land Rover Discovery SUVs.In 2016, Zuma was forced to order a review of the purchase with public funds of hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of cars for his four wives. The 11 cars included four Range Rover SUVs and, two Land Rover Discovery SUVs.
One possibility is that Zuma will be ordered to resign, though this may raise significant constitutional issues. According to ANC rules, all members – even elected officials – fulfil their functions according to the will of the party. Zuma had led the ANC since 2007 and has been South Africa’s president since 2009. His tenure in both posts has been marred by a series of corruption scandals that have undermined the image and legitimacy of the party that led South Africans to freedom in 1994.
His premature departure – Zuma’s second five-year term is due to expire next year – will consolidate the power of Cyril Ramaphosa, who was elected leader of the ANC in December.
Supporters of Ramaphosa, a multimillionaire businessman who is seen as the standard bearer of the reformist wing of the party, say it is essential that Zuma is sidelined as early as possible to allow the ANC to regroup before campaigning starts in earnest for elections in 2019.
Zuma had led the ANC since 2007 and has been South Africa’s president since 2009. His tenure in both posts has been controversial, with a series of corruption scandals undermining the image and legitimacy of the party that led South Africans to freedom in 1994.
The party’s NEC is split between supporters of Ramaphosa and Zuma. Backers and opponents of the president briefly clashed outside the ANC’s headquarters in Johannesburg on Monday morning.The party’s NEC is split between supporters of Ramaphosa and Zuma. Backers and opponents of the president briefly clashed outside the ANC’s headquarters in Johannesburg on Monday morning.
Statements from senior office holders have made clear in recent days that factional rifts within the ANC itself remain deep despite calls for unity. In 2008 Thabo Mbeki stood down as president a year before the end of his term after the ruling party formally requested his resignation over allegations he misused his power. His deputy then took power, until Zuma led the party to another victory in the 2009 elections and became president.
Ace Magashule, the ANC secretary general and a Zuma loyalist, said the president would still address the opening of parliament in Cape Town on Thursday. The Democratic Alliance, a prominent opposition party, called for the address to be postponed. Susan Booysen, a professor of politics at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, said any delay would damage the ANC.
“The ANC is trying to project this image of a party with a new drive and momentum but this is such a mess-up. Any recent gains are not irreversible even if the inexorable overall direction of travel is clear and Zuma has his back to the wall,” Booysen said.
As president, Ramaphosa would have to balance the need to reassure foreign investors and local businesses against the intense popular demand for dramatic measures to address South Africa’s deep problems.
The 68-year-old former trade union leader has said South Africa is coming out of a “period of uncertainty, a period of darkness, and getting into a new phase”.
South AfricaSouth Africa
Jacob ZumaJacob Zuma
Cyril RamaphosaCyril Ramaphosa
ANC (African National Congress)ANC (African National Congress)
AfricaAfrica
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