The ANC’s ‘plan B’ to get Zuma out: report
The ANC’s “top 5” tried to convince president Jacob Zuma to step down following a Constitutional Court ruling this week, but the president refused – now the party leaders are implementing a plan B.
This is according to a report in Rapport on Sunday (3 April), citing senior sources within the ANC.
The paper reported that the top 5 – Gwede Mantashe, Cyril Ramaphosa, Zweli Mkhize, Baleka Mbete and Jessie Duarte – met with Zuma to discuss his resignation, but couldn’t reach an agreement.
Instead, the party decided to put up a united front ahead of the 2016 elections, and slowly start the mechanisations to have the president recalled afterwards.
The paper’s sources said that Zuma had agreed to hold a national council meeting and a meeting with the provincial leaders after the elections, to discuss a possible exit and the question of succession.
On Friday, in back-to-back press briefings, Zuma and the ANC acknowledged a ruling by the Constitutional Court which said that Zuma and the National Assembly had violated the constitution.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng handed down judgement on a matter brought before the court by the EFF and DA against Zuma, regarding the long-drawn Nkandla saga.
The judgment related to the non-security upgrades – paid for by the taxpayer – at president Zuma’s private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.
Zuma apologised to the nation for the whole saga, but defended his actions, saying that he was not aware he was violated the constitution.
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe came out after the president’s address and put up a united front, showing support for the president.
However, when asked if Zuma had become a liability for the ANC ahead of the elections, Mantashe emphasized that the party did not revolve around one man.
The SG said that the party would set up further meetings with ANC party members and stakeholders from Monday (4 April) – which the Rapport’s sources say is the first step of the party’s plan to have Zuma recalled later in the year, after the elections.
The full story can be read in the Rapport for 3 April 2016
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