Jacob Zuma urged to quit as urgent ANC meeting called

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Jacob Zuma is under mounting pressure to quit his role as South African president, with an emergency African National Congress (ANC) meeting set to take place on Monday.

Top officials from South Africa's ruling ANC met the 75-year-old Zuma at his residence in Pretoria late on Sunday, and summoned its National Working Committee (NWC) to an urgent meeting on Monday afternoon.

The ANC's NWC conducts the day-to-day running of the party. It would need to call a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee to force Zuma to quit.

South African police officers stand by a giant portrait of ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa during the African National Congress' 106th anniversary celebrations at Absa Stadium in East London on January 13, 2018. /VCG Photo

Zuma was replaced as leader of the ANC in December by Cyril Ramaphosa, the deputy president, and has been damaged by corruption allegations as well as the weak South African economy.

The president could leave office either by resigning, through losing a motion of no-confidence in parliament or impeachment proceedings. He could also be recalled by the ANC, forcing him to step down.

‘Refused to resign’

Opposition leader Julius Malema, a former ANC member, said Zuma had refused to resign at the meeting late on Sunday.

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"He refused to resign and he told them to take a decision to remove him if they wish to do so because he didn't do anything wrong to the country," Malema wrote on Twitter.

Malema was one of the first to disclose that Ramaphosa had won the race to succeed Zuma as ANC leader in December.

Zuma’s weakened base

Zuma has been deserted by several prominent allies in the ANC since Ramaphosa became leader of the ANC, the only party to govern South Africa since the end of apartheid.

Although Zuma retains the support of a faction within the ANC, he no longer holds a top post. His hold on the party was shaken when his chosen successor -- his former wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma -- lost out to Ramaphosa in the closely-fought race to be party leader.

ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa (C) dances with president of South Africa Jacob Zuma (R) in East London, South Africa on January 13, 2018. /VCG Photo

Ramaphosa, who is in a strong position to become the next president of South Africa, has been lobbying for Zuma's removal.

Zuma has not said whether he will step down voluntarily before his second term as president ends next year. Opposition parties want Zuma to resign before his state of the nation address to parliament, which is scheduled for Thursday.

The speaker of parliament said on Friday that Zuma would face a fresh no-confidence motion on February 22. Zuma has survived several no-confidence votes during his rule thanks to loyal voting by ANC lawmakers, but support for his leadership is on the wane.

(With inputs from agencies)

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