The ANC’s national working committee (NWC) has been summoned to Luthuli House for a special meeting on Monday afternoon.
This comes after the party’s top six leaders met with President Jacob Zuma at his Mahlamba Ndlopfu residence in Pretoria on Sunday night where it is believed they asked Zuma to step down as the country’s president, but he refused.
The top ANC leaders entered Zuma’s residence shortly before 20:00 on Sunday night and left around 22:00, News24 reported.
The 20 member NWC – which meets every second Monday – was only scheduled to meet on February 12.
At last Monday’s meeting of the NWC, the committee told the top six to ask Zuma to leave and asked for feedback after their meeting with Zuma.
EFF leader Julius Malema tweeted that Zuma had refused to step down on Sunday night.
He refused to resign and he told them to take a decision to remove him if they so wish to do so because he didn’t do anything wrong to the country. He’s arguing that he complied with all legal instructions including paying back the money, what more do they want from him
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) February 4, 2018
Earlier on Sunday, ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe tweeted that the top six were going to have a discussion with Zuma on the best interests of the party and the country.
We want to ensure that there is stability in the country & ANC. Tonight, we are meeting President #Zuma #ANCPilgrimage
— Gwede Mantashe (@GwedeMantashe1) February 4, 2018
We are going to have a discussion with President #Zuma on what is in the best interests of the ANC & the country #ANCPilgrimage
— Gwede Mantashe (@GwedeMantashe1) February 4, 2018
City Press reported on Sunday that it was expected Zuma will agree to leave soon, but only after delivering the state of the nation address (Sona) on Thursday, which he believes he is constitutionally bound to.
Read: End of the road as Zuma faces attack on all sides
Zuma’s insistence on delivering Sona could cause a constitutional crisis, as opposition parties have told National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete that they will approach a court to ask for an interdict stopping the opening of Parliament, the first such action in the country’s history.
Meanwhile, supporters of Zuma – most of them from outside ANC structures – are set to march on Luthuli House on Monday to denounce plans to oust Zuma. Ramaphosa supporters have vowed to defend Luthuli House.
This is an ironic replay of last year’s stand-off, when Zuma supporters formed a human chain around the ANC headquarters to ward off protestors calling for his removal.
- Additional reporting by News24