Official: ANC to Recall Zuma... BUT Maimane Says Zuma Can Ignore It

The words many South Africans have marched, protested and prayed to hear have finally been uttered by the African National Congress (ANC): President Jacob Zuma is to be recalled by the party. However, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said it’s not worth the paper it’s written on and Zuma can ignore it.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC had convened in a special – and especially LONG (13 hours!) – meeting on Monday, 12th February 2018 at the Saint George Hotel, Tshwane, to discuss Zuma’s fate.

The ANC said in a statement – issued Tuesday afternoon – that the NEC received a report from the Officials on their engagement with Zuma, in which he had agreed in principle to resign – but had proposed time frames of three to six months.

The Officials’ main concerns, they said, were the interest of the country and the ANC, and their determination to handle the matter with “utmost dignity”.

So they said “while appreciating President Zuma’s proposal” they took into account the current mood of uncertainty and anxiety in South Africa because of the unresolved transition; and decided they need to act with urgency to steer SA to “greater levels of unity, renewal and hope”.

They admitted they’re also contending with the “opportunistic manoeuvres by the opposition in parliament including motions of no confidence in the President, calls for dissolution for parliament and other desperate acts”.

The NEC said it therefore sent a delegation back to Zuma to shorten the resignation timeframes, but he “did not accede to a shorter time frame”.

The NEC therefore decided as follows:

To recall its deployee, Comrade Jacob Zuma, in accordance with Rule 12.2.21.2 of the ANC Constitution, which accords the NEC the authority to “recall any public representative”.
There should be continuing interaction between the officials of the ANC and the President of the Republic.

The NEC said its decision was taken only after “exhaustive discussion on the impact such a recall would have on the country, the ANC and the functioning of government.

This decision will be communicated publicly and through appropriate forums to all structures of the ANC, Alliance Structures and all the Mass Democratic Formations.

All necessary parliamentary processes that arise from this decision will now ensue, it said.

DA Leader Mmusi Maimane has already issued a statement saying only Parliament can recall Zuma.

Maimane said: “This recall is an internal ANC resolution, and nothing more. It has no effect on Jacob Zuma’s current status as President of the Republic, and can be simply ignored by Zuma.

“Unless he tenders his resignation, this recall is not worth the paper it is printed on.”

He said the only way to remove Zuma from power is for Parliament to do so through a Motion of No Confidence.

“Therefore, the EFF’s Motion of No Confidence, provisionally scheduled for 22 February, must be treated as a priority and brought forward to within this week…

“Following that, the National Assembly must dissolve Parliament in terms of Section 50 of the Constitution. Anyone who wants to be the next President of this country must have the mandate of the people, and this can only be established through an early election.

“The people must elect the new South African President, not a few connected cadres within the ANC,” said Maimane.

UPDATE: President Jacob Zuma will hold a media briefing at 10h00 Wednesday morning.

“The recall takes effect immediately…” ANC Deputy Secretary General Cde Jessie #Duarte @ANCDSGDuarte on the #ZumaRecall pic.twitter.com/lQDVgFWu0t

— African National Congress (@MYANC) February 13, 2018