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South Africa's Zuma: I've done nothing wrong | South Africa's Zuma: I've done nothing wrong |
(35 minutes later) | |
South Africa's scandal-hit President Jacob Zuma says he has done nothing wrong - and sees no reason to stand down immediately. | South Africa's scandal-hit President Jacob Zuma says he has done nothing wrong - and sees no reason to stand down immediately. |
Mr Zuma spoke after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) announced it would back a vote of no confidence in his leadership on Thursday. | Mr Zuma spoke after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) announced it would back a vote of no confidence in his leadership on Thursday. |
The 75-year-old has come under increasing pressure to resign amid numerous allegations of corruption. | The 75-year-old has come under increasing pressure to resign amid numerous allegations of corruption. |
But he said the ANC had failed to explain why he had been recalled. | But he said the ANC had failed to explain why he had been recalled. |
"It was very unfair to me that this issue is raised," he told the national broadcaster SABC during a lengthy unannounced interview. "Nobody has ever provided the reasons. Nobody is saying what I have done." | |
He stressed that he was not defying the ANC but he disagreed with its decision to ask him to resign. | |
Mr Zuma said he had offered to go after June, but objected to the way the issue was currently being handled. | Mr Zuma said he had offered to go after June, but objected to the way the issue was currently being handled. |
He said he would make a further statement later on Wednesday. | He said he would make a further statement later on Wednesday. |
The ANC said it had noted Mr Zuma's televised comments but would await his promised later statement before responding further. | |
Earlier, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu announced that a motion of no-confidence in the president would be heard on Thursday, with Cyril Ramaphosa - who was elected ANC president in December - sworn in as the nation's president as soon as possible after that. | Earlier, ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu announced that a motion of no-confidence in the president would be heard on Thursday, with Cyril Ramaphosa - who was elected ANC president in December - sworn in as the nation's president as soon as possible after that. |
A meeting of the ANC's National Executive Committee had announced its decision to recall Mr Zuma on Tuesday and gave him until the end of Wednesday to resign. | A meeting of the ANC's National Executive Committee had announced its decision to recall Mr Zuma on Tuesday and gave him until the end of Wednesday to resign. |
In his TV interview, Mr Zuma made no reference to the early morning police raids and arrests carried out at the home of his close associates, the wealthy, Indian-born Gupta family, on Wednesday. | |
The Guptas have been accused of using their close friendship with the president to wield enormous political influence. Both parties deny all allegations of wrongdoing. | |
Why was the Guptas' house raided? | |
Three people were arrested during the raid, with two more expected to hand themselves in. According to local media, one of those arrested was a Gupta family member. | |
According to a statement released by the Hawks - the police's elite high-priority crimes unit - the raids were carried out in connection with the Vrede farm investigation. | |
That investigation relates to the Estina dairy farm near Vrede, in the Free State, a project which was originally meant to help poor black farmers but from which the Gupta family are alleged to have pocketed millions of dollars, allegations they deny. | |
A tranche of leaked emails released last year alleged that some of the money ended up paying for the family's lavish wedding at Sun City, South Africa's upmarket holiday resort. | |
In January, the Hawks raided the offices of the Free State premier, Ace Magashule, looking for documents linked to the project. Mr Magashule was elected secretary-general of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in December. | |
Who are the Gupta family? | |
The Gupta family own a range of business interests in South Africa, including computing, mining, air travel, energy, technology and media. | |
The three brothers - Atul, Rajesh and Ajay - moved to the country in 1993 from India, just as white-minority rule was ending. | |
They are known friends of President Zuma; his son, daughter and one of his wives worked for the family's firms. | |
The brothers have been accused of wielding enormous political influence in South Africa, with critics alleging that they have tried to "capture the state" to advance their own business interests. |