Ramaphosa returns to NEC after Zuma meeting

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa drove to President Jacob Zuma's official residence,  Mahlamba Ndlopfu, as the clock clicked towards midnight on Monday to meet his predecessor following a 9-hour marathon national executive committee meeting.

That meeting ended at about 11.50pm, and Ramaphosa left Mahlamba Ndlopfu to return to the NEC meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was not immediately known, but sources claimed that the NEC sent Ramaphosa and ANC secretary general Ace Magashule to inform Zuma that the decision-making body had decided that he should step down as head of state.

At least four sources with intimate knowledge of the discussions said the NEC decided that Zuma must step down immediately or face a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly.

"President Ramaphosa was sent to Mahlamba Ndlopfu to deliver the NEC message to Zuma that he resign with immediate effect, with dignity, or be humiliated and recalled within the next 24 hours," said one senior ANC leader.

This comes after Ramaphosa left the venue of the special NEC meeting shortly after 10.30pm on Monday night - in what was the first major movement since the much-anticipated meeting got underway to discuss Zuma's future. Ramaphosa drove out in a cavalcade of at least 10 VIP Presidential Protection Unit vehicles.

This while there was a large media contingent - consisting of both local and international journalists - outside the hotel.

Shortly after Ramaphosa left, a black BMW police vehicle with a Free State licence plate left the venue, followed by what appeared to be ANC secretary general Ace Magashule's bodyguards.

This special NEC meeting came amid growing calls from within the ANC and from opposition parties for Zuma to step down as the head of state‚ about 18 months before his term of office comes to an end.

This is a developing story.