South Africa's Zuma fights for survival before national address

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South Africa on Tuesday postponed its State of the Nation address, the keynote political event of the year, as the ruling ANC party is roiled by a battle to unseat President Jacob Zuma.

Many commentators say Zuma is struggling for his political survival as calls for his resignation gather momentum.

Voices from Parties

African National Congress (ANC)

The ruling ANC's top six officials, including president Cyril Ramaphosa, his deputy, David Mabuza, secretary-general Ace Magashule, his deputy Jesse Duarte, chairperson Gwede Mantashe and provincial chairperson Paul Mashatile, met with Zuma on February 4, asking him to step down from office, with no announcement of the outcome.

Then on February 5, the ANC held an urgent meeting to discuss Zuma's future.

December 16, 2017: South African President Jacob Zuma sits next to his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa at the 54th National Conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) at Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. /Reuters Photo

The ANC surveys have shown that Zuma was partly to blame for the party’s decline in electoral support since he came to power in 2009.

"We have the rule of law in our country and people always want to see justice done without fear, without favor, without prejudice. So whatever will need to be done, will have to follow the due process of the law," Ramaphosa said during an interview with BBC Hardtalk.

"Our key interest is to move the country forward and not so much about what happens to an individual,” he added.

However, the ANC secretary general Ace Magashule and deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte are supporting Zuma, criticizing those who are against the president.

Democratic Alliance (DA)

August 4, 2016: Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane speaks to members of the media at the result center in Pretoria, South Africa. /Reuters Photo

"This year’s SONA (State of the Nation Address) scheduled for Thursday, February 8 should be postponed until President Jacob Zuma has been removed from office," said Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, the country's biggest opposition party in a statement released at the end of January.

However, Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete rejected the idea.

"While Cyril Ramaphosa is the ANC President, Jacob Zuma remains President of South Africa, leaving the country not knowing which direction is being pursued," Maimane said.

Maimane argued that the country should not waste money on a "less possible" leader while last year's SONA cost over 11 million rands.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)

"It's useless to have the no-confidence motion after the State of the Nation Address," African News Agency quoted EFF's deputy president, Floyd Shivambu as saying.

August 17, 2016: Julius Malema, leader of South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), speaks during a media briefing in Alexander township near Sandton, South Africa. /Reuters Photo

Eight days before the address, Economic Freedom Fighters wrote a letter to Baleka Mbete, demanding a motion of no confidence vote in Zuma to be held before the speech.

However, the request was rejected. Instead, the motion for debate was scheduled for February 22.

"Mr Zuma should not be allowed to deliver the Sona prior to a decision on whether Parliament still has confidence in him to continue as a president,” EFF leader Julius Malema wrote in the letter.

"The move to try and remove president Zuma and the ANC through a motion of no confidence is really a desperate and frivolous attempt at gaining ground hold of power in this country. It will fail like the many motions before it have failed," ANC National Spokesperson Khusela Diko said.

Zuma narrowly survived a no-confidence vote in August.

South African Unemployed Workers Union (SAUWU)

Jabu Ntusi /Photo via Twitter

"You leave comrade Jacob Zuma to lead until 2019 and after 2019 the next successor takes over. It's not in the interest of South Africa to get rid of President Jacob Zuma‚ it is in the interest of certain people who are collaborating with white monopoly capital‚" Jabu Ntusi, president of SAUWU, said on Steven Grootes' Afternoon Drive Show on Radio 702.

Zuma's resignation is in the interest of certain people who are collaborating with white monopoly capital, he added.

The SAUWU launched a "Hands Off Jacob Zuma" campaign, which gained the support from the National Taxi Alliance‚ Qina Mshayeli‚ Ex-Mine Workers‚ Black First Land First (BLF) and the MK Inkululeko Foundation.

The campaign threatens no vote for the ANC in 2019 if demands ignored.

What about Zuma?

The president submitted representations to the National Prosecuting Authority on why he shouldn’t face fraud and corruption charges with less than three hours before the deadline expired on Jan 31.

September 13, 2016: President Jacob Zuma during his question and answer session in Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa. /Reuters Photo

Zuma told senior ANC leaders during a meeting at his official residence that he would reject any attempts to force him out before Thursday's address, and he needed more time to prepare for a smooth handover, according to the Mail & Guardian.

Ramaphosa told BBC in an interview that Zuma was "anxious" and wanted things to be handled "carefully".

"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," opposition leader Malema wrote on Twitter on February 5.

"What’s important for Ramaphosa is to restore confidence in the country. To make sure that there’s a political certainty. Investors and the markets are worried about the short term to medium term politics in South Africa. Make sure that he has a definitive policy agenda that deals with nervousness in the markers and establishes confidence in the national economy," political analyst Gideon Chitanga told CGTN.

Concerning the constitution‚ Zuma cannot be impeached between now and February 8