"What have I done?" President Jacob Zuma asked the nation repeatedly, as he delivered an unexpected exclusive interview on SABC on Wednesday, amid calls for his resignation and threats of a vote of no confidence. The president continues to insist that no one within the ANC caucus has been able to tell him what he's done wrong.
'I find it strange I'm being told to go' – President Jacob Zuma.
He said he could not understand why people were saying he must go, when he has not even been provided reasons by the party why he should resign. He defiantly refused to resign, despite being recalled by his party.
With the deadline for his resignation set for Thursday midnight, Zuma used the interview – or rather the monologue – to present his case as to why he should not resign, even to the extent of throwing Cyril Ramphosa under the bus.
Facing and ignominious end in the same manner that Thabo Mbeki was ousted, Zuma went on to claim that he was in support of Mbeki, and had not encouraged his recall.
The magnitude of this interview was such that it was even broadcast on Sky News, BBC News and CNN news – the tension over efforts to get him to step down has brought SA politics to the attention of the world.
South Africans took to Twitter to respond to Zuma's speech and speculate on what he could be up to.