ANC top six pull out of Cape Town events to deal with 'urgent issues'

09 February 2018 - 09:13 By TimesLIVE and Reuters
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The ANC's top six have reportedly been called into an urgent meeting and have had to cancel their scheduled programme in Cape Town.
The ANC's top six have reportedly been called into an urgent meeting and have had to cancel their scheduled programme in Cape Town.
Image: Masi Losi

The African National Congress's (ANC) top party officials have pulled out of public events on Friday, fuelling speculation that party leader Cyril Ramaphosa was making a final push to force Jacob Zuma to step down as president.

Ramaphosa and members of the ANC’s ‘top six’ were due to take part in several scheduled walkabouts and visits in Cape Town in the build-up to the Nelson Mandela centenary celebrations.

However, they have all pulled out of the programmes. 

The ANC's Faiez Jacobs confirmed to EWN that the ANC top leadership would not take part in the activities on Friday, "We have been told they have are busy with urgent issues."

Khaya Yozi, spokesperson for the Dullah Omar region, added that he believed the cancellation was due to an 'urgent meeting that the officials are having'.

On Thursday evening, the 2018 annual Ubuntu awards were postponed until further notice.

Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) deputy director-general Clayson Monyela told TimesLIVE that the awards were a post-Sona event and had to be postponed after the president’s annual opening of Parliament address was pushed back.

Zuma was meant to attend the awards.

From being asked to resign and clashes outside Luthuli House to postponement after postponement, it has been a turbulent week for President Jacob Zuma.


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