South Africa's Jacob Zuma resigns as President
Thu Feb 15, 2018 07:30:am Africa
4.6K By sosa hills
Jacob Zuma, who had earlier referred to calls by the ANC for him step down as "unfair" has finally tendered his resignation to the nation in a 30 minute address delivered late Wednesday.
Zuma said he disagreed with the manner his own party has forced him into resigning from his position. If Zuma had not resigned, the party would have removed him through a parliament vote on Thursday.
In his address, Zuma said, "I have therefore come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect. Even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organization, I have always been a disciplined member of the ANC."
He added, "No life should be lost in my name. And also the ANC should not be divided in my name."
The ANC according to it's deputy secretary general, Jessie Duarte, are satisfied with his decision. Duarte said, "This decision provides certainty to the people of South Africa at a time when economic and social challenges to the country require an urgent and resolute response."
In the early hours of Wednesday, hours before Zuma's resignation, South African elite police unit, called Hawks, raided the mansion of the Indian-born Gupta family, who are close friends of Jacob Zuma and are being accused of capitalising on that relationship to amass wealth from the state for themselves. The Guptas have always denied wrongdoing.
Zuma's deputy and head of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is most likely to take over from Zuma, has immediately become the country's acting president. The ANC's chief whip Jackson Mthembu had said before Zuma announced his resignation that Ramaphosa could be sworn in as new head of state as early as Friday.
Zuma said he disagreed with the manner his own party has forced him into resigning from his position. If Zuma had not resigned, the party would have removed him through a parliament vote on Thursday.
In his address, Zuma said, "I have therefore come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect. Even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organization, I have always been a disciplined member of the ANC."
He added, "No life should be lost in my name. And also the ANC should not be divided in my name."
The ANC according to it's deputy secretary general, Jessie Duarte, are satisfied with his decision. Duarte said, "This decision provides certainty to the people of South Africa at a time when economic and social challenges to the country require an urgent and resolute response."
In the early hours of Wednesday, hours before Zuma's resignation, South African elite police unit, called Hawks, raided the mansion of the Indian-born Gupta family, who are close friends of Jacob Zuma and are being accused of capitalising on that relationship to amass wealth from the state for themselves. The Guptas have always denied wrongdoing.
Zuma's deputy and head of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is most likely to take over from Zuma, has immediately become the country's acting president. The ANC's chief whip Jackson Mthembu had said before Zuma announced his resignation that Ramaphosa could be sworn in as new head of state as early as Friday.
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