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President Jacob Zuma remains firmly in his position after a motion tabled at the ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting for him to step down flopped.
The heated meeting which had to be extended until Monday concluded with NEC members – some of whom are in Cabinet – affirming their support for Zuma.
In taking the decision, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said it was more urgent to direct energies to unite the ANC.
“Following robust, honest, candid and at times difficult discussions, the NEC did not support the call for the president to step down,” Mantashe said.
“The NEC resolved it was more urgent to direct the energies of the ANC in its entirety to working towards the unity of the movement,” he told journalists at a post-NEC briefing at Luthuli House yesterday.
Mantashe suggested there was no consensus, saying that all NEC members were given an opportunity to persuade each other instead of resorting to a secret ballot.
He emphasised that goodwill prevailed in that the debate was accommodated despite it not having been on the agenda.
“All members of the NEC had an opportunity to raise, in the meeting, the issues they feel are hurting the movement and the country. All these are very important and are being given due consideration by the NEC,” he said.
He would not elaborate on what issues were raised but City Press understands that there was a lot of anxiety about the ANC not seen to be acting against Zuma and his unending scandals, especially leading up to the 2019 elections.
City Press was told the motion by Derek Hanekom stunned Zuma and his supporters in the meeting. This was particularly because Zuma controls a strong majority within the NEC.
Insiders said there had been lobbying ahead of the meeting in which there was a push for a secret ballot on the matter.
The motion was deferred to Sunday as many NEC members were not present, and some members walked out of the meeting because they did not want to be part of any process that could see the president recalled.
City Press was told that some of the Zuma supporters who were not at the meeting were forced to jump into planes from their respective provinces to attend the meeting with the aim of squashing the motion.
However, Mantashe said the NEC has never voted on any issue and always strived to persuade each other to reach a consensus, however difficult the discussions turn out
With Zuma safe, it was anticipated that he could retaliate with a Cabinet reshuffle to get rid of all his detractors in government.
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