The South African Communist Party ( SACP) says it will support any decision by the African National Congress (ANC) to remove President Jacob Zuma from office, if it is discussed at the governing party’s lekgotla outside Pretoria.
SACP’s second General Secretary, Solly Mapaila, commented on the parallels being drawn with the ANC’s recall of former president Thabo Mbeki nine years ago.
“With President Mbeki, who in comparison to President Zuma had no charge, this one is associated with individuals implicated in corruption and state capture… there should be no unity with corruption.”
The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has not confirmed reports that it has already made a decision about Zuma’s future.
Political analysts are pointing out that history could repeat itself after the resignation of former president Thabo Mbeki in 2008. The same ANC structure took a similar decision after a court suggested erroneously that there had been political interference by the Mbeki cabinet in Jacob Zuma’s corruption trial.
Reports suggest that in much the same way the NEC nine years ago had lost confidence in Thabo Mbeki the same is now happening.
On 20 September 2008, Mbeki handed in a resignation letter to the former Speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete nine months before his second term of office expired.
According to the Constitution, the Deputy President is next in line to fill the shoes of a vacancy in the Presidency and should the recall of President Zuma take place it will see Cyril Ramaphosa occupy the position approximately eighteen months before the 2019 elections.
Meanwhile, President Jacob Zuma was seen at the NEC meeting outside Pretoria, amid reports that the party’s highest decision making body has decided to recall him.
Watch videos below:
