Magashule, Duarte deliver recall letter to Zuma
ANC secretary general Ace Magashule and his deputy Jessie Duarte are delivering the news to outgoing president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday morning that his time as head of state is up.
The National Executive Council (NEC)‚ the highest decision-making body between conferences‚ made the decision to recall Zuma during a mammoth 13-hour meeting on Monday in Pretoria.
Two sources in the ANC confirmed that the pair were tasked with communicating the outcome of the meeting.
Images of two vehicles with Free State number plates, believed to be transporting Magashule, were seen arriving at Zuma's Pretoria residence.
#ZumaExit two vehicles with Free State number plates, believed to be transporting ANC SG Ace Magashule, have arrived at President Zuma’s residence in Pretoria. BB pic.twitter.com/sylKzlWhTO
— Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) February 13, 2018
Barely 12 hours before the NEC meeting, Zuma rejected pleas by ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa to step down.
Zuma remained defiant late into Monday evening, telling Ramaphosa and Magashule that the ANC must take the decision its seems fit.
He did not give an undertaking he would resign but suggested he would publicly respond to the decision for him to be recalled.
If Zuma refuses to resign‚ the party may pursue a motion of no confidence in Parliament.
A press conference scheduled for noon has been pushed back to 2pm to allow the NEC to inform its structures of the decision first.
Meanwhile opposition parties in Parliament have called for the motion of no confidence in Zuma‚ scheduled for February 22‚ to be brought forward to this week. The parties also resolved that following the motion‚ Parliament must be dissolved.
Speaker of Parliament, Baleka Mbete, said the request was still being considered.
After the ANC’s national executive committee was locked in a 13-hour meeting over President Jacob Zuma’s fate, a decision was reached that Zuma should no longer be president of South Africa. Here is a recap of everything that happened.