A report in The Star newspaper quotes señor members of the ANC saying President Jacob Zuma has been handed a deadline to step down as the country’s leader.
Several ANC national executive committee (NEC) members told The Star that another motion of no confidence against Zuma is also on the cards if he does not voluntarily leave the Union Buildings by the time the party’s top brass meet on Wednesday, next week.
BusinessTech.co.za reports the meeting will be the first since Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as the party’s new leader in December, and they are concerned that Zuma’s continued presidency will create two centres of power within the party – and the country.
The rand touched its best level in two and a half years after Ramaphosa’s election and has remained on the front foot in early January trade.
Reuters quoted currency analyst at German-based Commerzbank, Antje Praefcke, as saying “nvestors are viewing the possibility of Zuma being dismissed from office early as a positive sign for the rand”.
While talks to oust Zuma purportedly started at the ANC ‘s conference, the nail in the coffin is said to have been the latest Constitutional Court finding that parliament failed to hold him accountable on the Nkandla matter, the members said.
A vote of no confidence would therefore give Ramaphosa’s supporters the opportunity to test their strength in the NEC, as Zuma is seen to be at a low point following the Constitutional Court ruling and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s loss to Ramaphosa.
The embattled president has already survived two motions of no confidence in the NEC, and eight motions in Parliament.
