It will end today - NEC wants Zuma exit.
- Frederik Herholdt
- Feb 12, 2018
- 2 min read
The ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) members will meet today to "finalise" Zuma's exit.
NEC members also want the meeting to confirm that ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa should take over as Zuma exits. The meeting resulted after Ramaphosa's direct talks with Zuma. An emergency NEC meeting that was meant to happen last week Wednesday was cancelled by Ramaphosa after he met with Zuma on Tuesday.
NEC members are careful. They want the party's highest decision making body, to be between conferences, in order to give the Parliamentary caucus a mandate that supports the motion of no confidence against Zuma in case he defies the NEC decision to recall him.
Parliamentary process is needed. If Zuma's recall is defied after today, and he refuses to step down after NEC members asks him to do so, then the ball shifts to Parliament.
Ramaphosa did not speak much about his talks with Zuma on Tuesday when he delivered the first keynote address to mark 28 years since Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
"As leadership of the ANC we are currently engaged in discussions around the transition to a new administration and specifically to resolve the issues of the position of the president of the Republic," Ramaphosa said.
Zuma was not mentioned by name by Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa only said the NEC will finalise the matter.
A motion of no confidence in Zuma, due to be heard on February 22, was lodged by the EFF, but ANC members said that would be too late, as the State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be delivered before then.
The Parliament took an unprecedented step to postpone the SONA due to ANC arguments over Zuma's continued stay at the Union Buildings.
Zuma still benefits support from some Cabinet ministers who also sit in the NEC, so a long and drawn out debate should be expected today at Irene where the NEC meeting will take place. Zuma has survived two motions of no confidence presented before the NEC members before.
According to ANC Youth League secretary general Njabulo Nzuza, who has defended Zuma throughout his tenure, there are other option for the NEC beyond recalling him.
Nzuza believes the transition is not about the removal of President Zuma, but to give deputy president Ramaphosa more responsibility. Nzuza says this is not new as it happened when President Mandela handed over to Thabo Mbeki.
Nzuza says we should be looking at this from an honest point of view, not be vindictive.
NEC members backed Ramaphosa when he failed to give details about his ongoing talks with Zuma, but he is expected to report back to the NEC when he gives his political overview.
Posted 12 February 2018 | Frederik Herholdt
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