Zuma on the offensive against those who dare to challenge him: report
Despite the ruling party’s resolution that it focus on unity and putting forward the image of togetherness ahead of the elective conference in 2017, it’s ‘comrade versus comrade’ within the ANC, led by president Jacob Zuma.
This is according to a report by the City Press, citing sources from within the ANC NEC, commenting on Zuma’s attitude towards the ANC’s integrity commission which he appeared before this weekend.
According to the report, Zuma has held a combative attitude towards the IC, saying that it has been compromised after members spoke out against him at the party’s NEC meeting last week.
The NEC members said that Zuma was expected to take a defiant stance, and refuse to answer any questions raised by the IC relating to Nkandla, the Guptas or state capture.
Last week, Zuma survived a surprise motion to have him step down as president of the country. Unhappiness around his rule has reportedly been growing since the Constitutional Court ruling against him on the Nkandla saga, but only now did someone speak out.
That someone was tourism minister Derek Hanekom, who insiders report put the official motion on the table. He was also backed by other big names.
However, Zuma’s supporters ultimately managed to get the motion to fail; and the threat of retribution was dismissed by Zuma in his closing speech, and by secretary general Gwede Mantashe in the press briefing afterwards.
NEC members told the City Press that a lot of members were waiting this week for ‘the bomb to drop’. Economists and analysts say that a cabinet reshuffle may still be on the cards, but could be the trump card or ‘scorched earth’ plan in case Zuma feels his presidency is truly threatened.
You can read the full story in the City Press for 4 November 2016
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