Status Update: ANC 'Puts Ultimatum' To Zuma

There is no official word yet from the Saint George Hotel in Irene, near Pretoria, where the ANC's leadership is meeting.
President Jacob Zuma looks on during the swearing in of new Cabinet ministers following a reshuffle that replaced Pravin Gordhan as finance minister in Pretoria, South Africa, March 31, 2017.
President Jacob Zuma looks on during the swearing in of new Cabinet ministers following a reshuffle that replaced Pravin Gordhan as finance minister in Pretoria, South Africa, March 31, 2017.
REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

[LATEST]News24 is reporting that the ANC's NEC has resolved to put an ultimatum to President Jacob Zuma: resign or be fired. He will have "a day or two" to make a decision. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has been dispatched to convey the message. The ANC's leadership has been in constant consultation with Zuma since last Sunday.

Ramaphosa on Sunday said the NEC will bring "finality" and "closure" to the matter.

[EARLIER] Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is at President Jacob Zuma's official residence in Pretoria, Mahlamba'Ndlopfu, claims EFF leader Julius Malema. Events are moving apace now.

[EARLIER] Zuma wants to serve a three month "notice period" after which he will resign unconditionally, Business Day is reporting. He wants to use the three months to "introduce" Ramaphosa to the international community.

[EARLIER] Ramaphosa and the ANC's secretary-general Ace Magsashule have left the Saint George Hotel in Irene close to Pretoria, reports News24. There is no indication whether the ANC will make an announcement about President Jacob Zuma's future on Monday night.

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[EARLIER] EWN is reporting that the meeting of the ANC's national executive committee is still ongoing at the Saint George Hotel outside Irene, near Pretoria. There is no indication of the nature of the debate inside.

News24 has reported the Collen Maine, leader of the ANC Youth League and an ardent supporter of Zuma, has left.

The NEC deliberated for two days and into the night during the recall of former president Thabo Mbeki in September 2008. After the NEC took the decision a delegation of the party's leadership visited Mbeki in Pretoria in the early hours of the morning. The decision was announced to the media later that day.

The NEC meeting started at 14:00.

The presidency earlier denied reports that an agreement had been reached about Zuma's future.

[EARLIER] According to an SABC report on Monday afternoon, Zuma had agreed to step down, adding that the only sticking point was who would communicate the decision: government or the ANC. BBC news correspondent Milton Nkosi also reported that the ANC had recalled Zuma.

In a subsequent tweet, however, he said as a matter of 'clarification' that the ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting was still ongoing. Although calls for Zuma to step down had been made, he said, there was no official announcement made by the ANC.

A presidential official shortly after told News24 that news of Zuma's resignation was false:

There has been no communication by the ANC on Monday. The meeting of the governing party's national executive committee started at 14:00 and is still ongoing. ANC NEC members, as well as some blue light brigades, arrived well before the start time of the meeting.

Ramaphosa on Sunday told ANC supporters in Cape Town the NEC would on Monday bring the issue around Zuma's future to "finalisation" and "closure".

The NEC meeting is continuing.

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