President Jacob Zuma has refused to step down, saying the African National Congress (ANC) NEC has not provided him with reasons to leave office. He was speaking in an exclusive interview with the SABC in Pretoria this afternoon.
President Zuma says he feels the ANC leadership is being unfair to him. He says he will not resign until the ANC gives him valid reasons.
“In a sense, very unfair to me that this issue is raised two months after the national conference. Some of the leaders are fuelling this debate and some have said what is left for Zuma is to resign, or a motion of no confidence. So, when such a motivation is raised it becomes more urgent to know ‘what have I done?’ Unfortunately, no one has provided me the reason what have I done,” says President Zuma.
The President also dismissed suggestions that one of the reasons he is being removed is to avoid the two centres of power, insisting that everyone knows there is only one centre which is the ANC.
”Some of the leaders say there is two centres of power… that is not the reason… as there is no two centres of power. I helped the comrades that when we raised that issue was when we were going to Polokwane, when President Mbeki wanted to be the president of the ANC for the third term. That would have meant we were going to have two presidents (for five years). So, those who are now talking about the two centres of power – I don’t know what are they talking about.”
President Zuma also says with ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa in line to be the next president of the republic come 2019, he wanted time to officially induct him into the day-to-day running of government, and introduce him to leaders of the SADC region and Brics.
About being accused of defying the ANC, Zuma says he will never defy his organisation, insisting some in the ANC are trying to portray him as a defiant person.
“No! I have not defied the party and as you would know, there is a lot things happening and things said I have not had the opportunity to say, partly because I believed things must be handled in a particular way rather than through you in the media. “
With the ANC now heading to Parliament to pass a motion of no confidence in him, President Zuma says it is surprising that this was not indicated to him by any of the leadership.
Zuma says he came to the presidency through Parliament and if his comrades feel that he should go that way, it is entirely up to them.
Zuma says he will speak to the nation on matter later on Wednesday.
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