Zuma to address the nation as resignation speculation mounts

President Jacob Zuma, who has been recalled by the African National Congress (ANC), will address the media in Pretoria on Wednesday morning.

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule told TimesLIVE on Tuesday night that Zuma had notified notify the party that he wanted to hold a press conference at 10am and address the nation.

Other sources confirmed that television broadcasters had been alerted to the briefing, though the Presidency had not yet confirmed this.

“At the moment I can’t speculate on what is he going to say,” Magashule said. “It is not my press conference.”

There is speculation that Zuma called the press conference to say farewell, as he is expected to announce his resignation from the country’s top job. On Tuesday, he was recalled by the party’s national executive committee following a 13-hour meeting that ran from Monday afternoon into the early hours of Tuesday morning.

A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that Zuma had spent Tuesday afternoon making calls and saying goodbye to those close to him.

Two ministers approached for comment claimed they had not yet received a call from Zuma.

Attempts on Tuesday night to obtain comment from Presidency spokesman Bongani Ngqulunga were unsuccessful.