“I resign as president of the republic with immediate effect,” he said, “even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organisation … I have always been a disciplined member of the organisation.
“I have…come to the decision to resign as the president of the republic with immediate effect,” Zuma told reporters at the Union Buildings on Wednesday night.
Zuma’s time as president has been marked by controversy, ranging from his relationship with the controversial Gupta family, dropped charges of corruption and his acquittal on a charge of rape, to the upgrades to his Nkandla homestead.
He broke his silence on Wednesday afternoon for the first time since discussions to oust him started in a televised live interview with SABC.
The ANC caucus met on Wednesday morning on the outcomes of a meeting of the party’s national executive committee (NEC). ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile told the media afterward that they had given Zuma until Wednesday to resign. If not, the ANC would proceed with a motion of no confidence against him on Thursday to legally force him to resign according to the Constitution, he said.
ANC secretary general Ace Magashule and his deputy Jessie Duarte delivered Zuma’s recall letter to the presidential guesthouse on Tuesday morning.
Zuma’s much-anticipated resignation comes after the party’s highest decision-making body, the national executive committee (NEC), decided after a marathon meeting into the early hours of Tuesday morning that he should go.
The ANC called the urgent meeting following ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s direct talks with Zuma. An emergency NEC meeting, that was meant to happen last Wednesday, was cancelled by Ramaphosa after his Tuesday meeting with Zuma.
Ramaphosa replaced Zuma as leader of the ANC at its elective conference in December.
On Tuesday last week, Parliament’s presiding officers postponed Thursday’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) amid fears that it might descend into chaos.
“We wish to assure fellow South Africans and everyone affected by this decision that these actions are being taken in the best interests of Parliament and the country,” National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete announced at the time
Zuma going has just created an opportunity for travel by big koswe and introduce himself and his koswes to the upcoming president of south africa. I hope he can send the koswe who is talkative at zambian embassy in SA.
The most powerful man in Africa will soon be exchanging his tailor-made suits for an orange jump-suit due to corruption. Zuma’s business crooks the Guptas were also arrested yesterday. His son is next. This should be a lesson to Lungu “Alya Mwibala” & his fellow Koswes. At least for RSA, they are lucky that their democracy is functional & they have strong institutions which hold everyone accountable including the president.
Zambia on the other hand has vested all powers in one man. What if that person turns out to be a drunkard, mad, evil, a swindler, corrupt, a Chinese stooge, a thief, a fake Christian, a foreigner as is the case with Lungu? We need to strengthen our institutions & make everyone accountable.
Nonsensical to resign over pressure from the party.
He should have just sacked them.
He is a coward.
A little man to me. The giant Lungu would never do this and why should he.
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Yesterday and today’s news has really made interesting reading. Chagwa and his congress of Baboons, Morgan Tsvangirai is dead and now Zuma is an ordinary citizen. How exiting!
@Maloza: Have you bothered to read the Amended Constitution 2016??? RSA has had the same constitution since 1994, that’s 24 years. That’s 24 years they have had the ConCourt, that’s 24 years they have had the Public Protector, that’s 24 years they have had these institutions; That’s why they have also had specialised crime fighting institutions like the Scorpions and now the Hawks. You really expect us to do all that in 1 year???? Since 1964, we have had the same ZP. Only last year the judiciary was given a mandate for its independence by the Amended Constitution 2016. From 1964 to 1991 and up to 2016, we have used the same constitution which gave unlimited power to the president. We have only began the journey….
In Zambia Political parties have been made to belong to individuals hence the abuse that we see everyday where even the President’s children and those in his inner circles like Kaizer Zulu become very powerful undeservedly. RSA has surpassed Zambia by having the ruling party ANC (Which is wrongfully a defacto one party to rule RSA for years to come) have the power to recall its President. This will make the president accountable. In Zambia a president is a semi GOD which is not right. This is the same case for other political parties like HH’s UPND which needs to change!
President’s Resignation Trend
….. Not good for African politics …..
@ Sate, you should say:
President’s corruption/stealing Govt funds Trend
….. Not good for African politics …..
Mr Ramaphosa Will go the same way when South Africans realises that he’s a stooge of the white boers in the future.
Very true. You kill with a spade, you get killed with a spade too!!!!
Thabo Mbeki resigned in similar fashion on 21st September 2008, following a decision of the ANC’s National Executive Committee’s decision not to support him any longer in parliament.
Edgar Lungu should be next ,he not eligible for 2021 elections and his PF party presidency was earned unprocedurally.
FOR WHAT?
2021 is just too far and I know something may come up chasing the koswes. The more they campaign the more they will not realize that worse of thugs join them to add on their messes. Let us wait and see what will Zambia between now and December 2018 then can we Judge that Big Koswe is a Leaders or not.
Munyela pebwe tabula kubwekeshapo.
God’s Time is the best time: Well done Zuma to every thing there is time. Ecclesiastes 1:3 – 9 also read Ecclesiastes 1: 1 – 8 it is all Vanity. Eat what you have earned.
Umukonto we Sizwe
This is the way it should be.Infact this resignation is long overdue. He should have resigned that same time when he was found wanting and made to pay back over the nkhandla properties
Lungu and your rats ,take note.
Some people have a different version of the Constitution, Zambia, Zimbabwe and ROSA have different Constitution I usually fail to understand as to why people are saying Lungu is next,how? Has he over stayed in poor that he has abrogated the Constitution or is he using parley to elect him be president or the party such that he can be recalled? Guys let’s be objective in our debates, I don’t like the way Lungu is governing but let’s understand the Constitution. He is there until 2021 like it or not.
Lungu said the colonialists want to take over in Zambia, South Africa , Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Congo. Emersons is a colonialist , Ramaphosa is a colonialist, …… Kagame is not a colonialist, Kabila is not acolonialist…………
In Zambia ECl is not a colonialist …………….
Typical of African leaders to accuse colonialist………. face reality and do the right for your country
A lot of bloggers here tend to be pretty boring. They don’t seem to be able to debate intellectually & to them every topic has to end up with Lungu or HH!!
HH hates the word ‘resignation’
Zambia’s menomeno with his third term bid should be next…
But why showing him with our president?
Leaders should realise that when entrusted to run the affairs of the country, there behaviour should be above bode because the day of reckoning always comes. Goodbye Zuma the playboy and welcome Ramaphosa the friend of white settlers.
@ maloza You are Maloza zoona listern to a person talking in a foreign land just a waste of space don’t know which planet you come from, if you were a seed trust me, besides you are one of those Zambians Professor mentioned cowards how do you allow a foreigner to rule in your own country if you say Lungu is a foreigner. Give us a break!!! will you!!
Mugabe! Zuma! Who’s next???
Lungu is next, the wind of change is blowing in Southern Africa, who knew mugabe would go after more than 3 decades. People in Zambia need to wake up soon and demand that koswe to go, the longer he stays the more you suffer. You see the impact of his stealing- schools closed, fuel prices up,cholera, failed voucher system.
What wind of change naimwe. Lungu doesn’t belong to the old crew so he will leave when he either looses an election or becomes ineligible. RSA constitution is completely different from ours. Please take some time to study things before you embarrass yourself.
I wish here in Zambia and Africa at large, we could have the governance levels of South Africa where a sitting President is made to account for his illicit and thieving activities,subsequently made to pay back and eventually forced to quit. South Africa you are our super role model as you have shown the whole of Africa that indeed POWER LIES WITH THE PEOPLE
In 1991 we removed KK, changed the constitution to include multi partism while everything else remained the same. FTJ, Levy, RB, Sata all enjoyed the same powers as KK while preaching democracy. RSA on the other hand put in place a progressive constitution way back in 1994 which created the same institutions you are praising today. Basically, RSA has had a 24 year head start since we only worked on our constitution in 2016; Done by ECL where KK, FTJ, Levy, Sata failed. It takes time to build these institutions as some area will have teething problems. Look at the JCC right now, it is already raising questions about its composure and its vulnerability to manipulation. For me, Amended Constitution 2016 is progressive and thanks to the man who made it possible, one Edgar Chagwa Lungu!!!
This is politics where you don’t laugh at the removal of one from office. Even the most difficult dictators have had their time. Mr Zuma fought very hard with the help of Julius Malema to hound Mr Mbeki from office. It looks like the clock has made full circle.
Soon, GBM will also replace the guy who has been losing chronically. Watch this space! Wait a minute! He is not Tonga!
As the Upnd cohorts are celebrating the departure of Jacob Zuma and hoping the same to happen to Edgar, their friends, My money and Malema have boycotted Ramaphosa election and walked out of parliament.