President Jacob Zuma is "very angry" at being recalled by the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) and there is a possibility that he will not leave the presidency voluntarily, according to Business Day. Senior ANC leaders told Business Day that the possibility of court action against the recall.
Sources who took part in the marathon, 13-hour-long meeting at which the NEC decided to recall Zuma on Monday night reportedly said a Zuma-aligned lobby group called Transform SA have threatened to challenge the decision to recall Zuma in court.
ANC secretary general Ace Magashule confirmed on Tuesday that the ANC had rejected Zuma's plea that he be given three more months in office so that he could introduce Cyril Ramaphosa to various international bodies.
Even Zuma's staunchest allies, including Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, reportedly agreed that he should go.
While the ANC officially said Zuma had done nothing wrong, many NEC members listed Zuma's various transgressions as reasons why he should go, as well as the ANC's declining electoral performance, according to Business Day.
Zuma is expected to reply to the party's letter informing him of his recall on Wednesday. Finance minister Malusi Gigaba told CNN on Tuesday that Parliamentary processes, including the possibility of a motion of no confidence, would kick in if Zuma refuses to resign.
An NEC source told Daily Maverick that Zuma had to go because of his terrible track record.
"For a long time under Zuma, the state was mismanaged and its service delivery capacity was eroded. Most departments were identified for State Capture, and that in itself is a big reason," he reportedly said.
Meanwhile, National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams has given his team of advisors until next Friday to decide whether or not to charge Zuma, according to Eyewitness News (EWN). Abrahams appointed a team of prosecutors to advise him on how to proceed with the matter after Zuma made fresh representations about why he should not be prosecuted.
The NPA's Luvuyo Mfaku told EWN the developments have nothing to do with the change in leadership in the country.
"He actually said by the 23rd we must give him their recommendations and then you'd make a decision. He had always indicated that the history of this matter is very long and, therefore, he wants to finalise the matter urgently," he reportedly said.
ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe reportedly told an audience in the Eastern Cape on Tuesday that Zuma would face "the vultures" if he did not resign voluntarily, according to eNCA.
"As a disciplined cadre of the ANC, you are given a chance to resign on your own. But if you lack discipline, you will resist. Once you resist, we are going to let you be thrown out through the vote of no confidence, because you disrespect the organisation and you disobey it. Therefore we are going to let you be devoured by the vultures," he said.