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| South Africa's President Jacob Zuma resigns | South Africa's President Jacob Zuma resigns |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| South Africa's embattled President Jacob Zuma has resigned his office with immediate effect. | South Africa's embattled President Jacob Zuma has resigned his office with immediate effect. |
| He made the announcement in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening. | He made the announcement in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening. |
| Earlier, Mr Zuma's governing ANC party told him to resign or face a vote of no confidence in parliament on Thursday. | Earlier, Mr Zuma's governing ANC party told him to resign or face a vote of no confidence in parliament on Thursday. |
| The 75-year-old has been under increasing pressure to give way to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC's new leader. | The 75-year-old has been under increasing pressure to give way to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC's new leader. |
| Mr Zuma, who has been in power since 2009, faces numerous allegations of corruption. | Mr Zuma, who has been in power since 2009, faces numerous allegations of corruption. |
| His resignation came at the end of a long speech in which he said he disagreed with the way the ANC had acted towards him. | His resignation came at the end of a long speech in which he said he disagreed with the way the ANC had acted towards him. |
| He said he did not fear a motion of no-confidence, adding: "I have served the people of South Africa to the best of my ability." | |
| 'Disciplined ANC member' | |
| Mr Zuma also said that violence and division within the ANC had influenced his decision to step down. | |
| "No life should be lost in my name and also the ANC should never be divided in my name. I have therefore come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect," he said. | |
| "Even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organisation, I have always been a disciplined member of the ANC. | |
| "As I leave I will continue to serve the people of South Africa as well as the ANC, the organisation I have served... all of my life." | |
| The ANC issued a statement saying Mr Zuma's resignation provided "certainty to the people of South Africa". | |
| Mr Zuma, a former member of the ANC's military wing in the days of apartheid, rose through the ranks of the party to become president. He led the country for more than a third of its time after apartheid. | |
| But he leaves office with several scandals hanging over him, and with South Africa's economy in dire straits. |