President Jacob Zuma has finally resigned after stalling for over two weeks as he accused the ANC leadership of unfairness and victimising him.
This brings to an end the acrimonious standoff between Zuma and the new ANC leadership whom he had earlier accused of being “immature” and of taking the “baseless” decision to recall him.
In a live TV interview at 10pm last night, Zuma finally said: “I have come to the decision to resign as the president of the republic of South Africa.”
He spent 37 minutes explaining that he did not care about losing his perks as an ex president.
“ I did not agree to serve in order to exit with the perks of the president. It is my party that availed me,” he said.
Zuma said he was disturbed by the scenes of violence outside Luthuli House last and therefore did not want to see any further violence in his name.
If Zuma had not resigned he would have bene removed through a vote of no confidence in Parliament today.
The decision, came after a day of a tit-for-tat exchanges between Zuma and the ANC leadership amid a standoff over his departure.
First to fire a salvo was ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile who, while addressing the ANC caucus in parliament yesterday, announced the party was left with no option but to file a motion of no confidence against Zuma because it was “clear for us as the leadership of the ANC that we can no longer wait beyond ,” Mashatile said.
Addressing a separate conference a earlier in the day, Zuma said the ANC had failed to explain what it was that he had done wrong to deserve such an exit.
“I have been portrayed as this person who is defying the leadership. I have never defied the leadership of the ANC. Never in my life.
“It will be the first time. I said there was no evidence, and no one has taken me through a disciplinary process. If I have done something wrong, I need to be convinced.
“I’ve said this in the meetings – what are the reasons,” said Zuma yesterday.
But Mashatile, who addressed the media before Zuma, said the party would not be held to ransom, and added: “We can no longer keep South Africa waiting. The decision has been taken and it must be implemented.
“So my message to the caucus today was just that they must proceed with parliamentary processes.”
This paves the way fgor Cyril Ramaphosa to be sworn in as the new president today.
The new president is expected to table the state of the nation address tomorrow.
In his earlier interview with SABC, Zuma said: “I’m told now they have taken a decision that in parliament, there is going to be a vote of no confidence.
“Nobody has even come to me to say we are moving if you do not move. What is the rush? They are taking their decisions.
“They are taking me to parliament. And of course I came through parliament because those are the people who elected me . I don’t have a problem. I will be out. But you can’t force a decision the way it has been done now to another cadre, to another leader,” said Zuma yesterday.
Mashatile said Zuma was given yesterday as his deadline to resign. “We have asked the chief whip to proceed with the vote of no confidence in parliament.
“If the presiding officers can feature that in so that President Zuma is then removed, so that we can proceed to elect President Ramaphosa as the president of the republic,” said Mashatile.
He said it was critical that the ANC moved with speed and elected Ramaphosa into office as state president, “so that he can deliver the state of the nation address, possibly before the budget speech next Wednesday. It’s clear for us as the leadership of the ANC that we can no longer wait beyond ”.
It is not the first time that the party, after an elective national conference, has resolved to recall a sitting state president.
Former President Thabo Mbeki experienced a similar fate after the December 2007 conference held in Polokwane, which elected Zuma to succeed him.
Mbeki was recalled in September 2008, eight months before the end of his term of office as state president.
But Zuma warned the ANC against taking a similar approach this time around, pointing out the decision to recall Mbeki had resulted in a breakaway party, which had been a setback for the ANC.
Zuma issued a stern warning to Ramaphosa, saying: “You don’t force people out.
“You don’t just come and say because I have authority you must just go.
“Comrades, it’s just two months from the conference, just two months!
“I think we are being plunged in a crisis that I am sure my comrades, my leaders, will regret, because some people may not like this. (They) may feel there is something wrong,” said an angry Zuma.
In reaction late last night the ANC thanked him for his service.
Deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte listed all his ‘successes’ in government, including the ARV rollout.
ZUMA RESIGNS ‘I QUIT’
This brings to an end the acrimonious standoff between Zuma and the new ANC leadership whom he had earlier accused of being “immature” and of taking the “baseless” decision to recall him.
In a live TV interview at 10pm last night, Zuma finally said: “I have come to the decision to resign as the president of the republic of South Africa.”
He spent 37 minutes explaining that he did not care about losing his perks as an ex president.
“ I did not agree to serve in order to exit with the perks of the president. It is my party that availed me,” he said.
Zuma said he was disturbed by the scenes of violence outside Luthuli House last and therefore did not want to see any further violence in his name.
If Zuma had not resigned he would have bene removed through a vote of no confidence in Parliament today.
The decision, came after a day of a tit-for-tat exchanges between Zuma and the ANC leadership amid a standoff over his departure.
First to fire a salvo was ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile who, while addressing the ANC caucus in parliament yesterday, announced the party was left with no option but to file a motion of no confidence against Zuma because it was “clear for us as the leadership of the ANC that we can no longer wait beyond ,” Mashatile said.
Addressing a separate conference a earlier in the day, Zuma said the ANC had failed to explain what it was that he had done wrong to deserve such an exit.
“I have been portrayed as this person who is defying the leadership. I have never defied the leadership of the ANC. Never in my life.
“It will be the first time. I said there was no evidence, and no one has taken me through a disciplinary process. If I have done something wrong, I need to be convinced.
“I’ve said this in the meetings – what are the reasons,” said Zuma yesterday.
But Mashatile, who addressed the media before Zuma, said the party would not be held to ransom, and added: “We can no longer keep South Africa waiting. The decision has been taken and it must be implemented.
“So my message to the caucus today was just that they must proceed with parliamentary processes.”
This paves the way fgor Cyril Ramaphosa to be sworn in as the new president today.
The new president is expected to table the state of the nation address tomorrow.
In his earlier interview with SABC, Zuma said: “I’m told now they have taken a decision that in parliament, there is going to be a vote of no confidence.
“Nobody has even come to me to say we are moving if you do not move. What is the rush? They are taking their decisions.
“They are taking me to parliament. And of course I came through parliament because those are the people who elected me . I don’t have a problem. I will be out. But you can’t force a decision the way it has been done now to another cadre, to another leader,” said Zuma yesterday.
Mashatile said Zuma was given yesterday as his deadline to resign. “We have asked the chief whip to proceed with the vote of no confidence in parliament.
“If the presiding officers can feature that in so that President Zuma is then removed, so that we can proceed to elect President Ramaphosa as the president of the republic,” said Mashatile.
He said it was critical that the ANC moved with speed and elected Ramaphosa into office as state president, “so that he can deliver the state of the nation address, possibly before the budget speech next Wednesday. It’s clear for us as the leadership of the ANC that we can no longer wait beyond ”.
It is not the first time that the party, after an elective national conference, has resolved to recall a sitting state president.
Former President Thabo Mbeki experienced a similar fate after the December 2007 conference held in Polokwane, which elected Zuma to succeed him.
Mbeki was recalled in September 2008, eight months before the end of his term of office as state president.
But Zuma warned the ANC against taking a similar approach this time around, pointing out the decision to recall Mbeki had resulted in a breakaway party, which had been a setback for the ANC.
Zuma issued a stern warning to Ramaphosa, saying: “You don’t force people out.
“You don’t just come and say because I have authority you must just go.
“Comrades, it’s just two months from the conference, just two months!
“I think we are being plunged in a crisis that I am sure my comrades, my leaders, will regret, because some people may not like this. (They) may feel there is something wrong,” said an angry Zuma.
In reaction late last night the ANC thanked him for his service.
Deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte listed all his ‘successes’ in government, including the ARV rollout.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos