South Africa's ruling party backs Zuma after calls for him to quit

Record ID: 877311

  • Title: South Africa's ruling party backs Zuma after calls for him to quit
  • Date: 29th May 2017
  • Summary: AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC), SECRETARY-GENERAL, GWEDE MANTASHE ADDRESSING MEDIA JOURNALIST FILMING THE PRESS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC), SECRETARY-GENERAL, GWEDE MANTASHE, SAYING: "It is not a call for a vote of no confidence in the NEC (National Executive Council). It's people in there, in making their inputs, making a call that the president must consider taking a decision to step down. Others say, 'it will not work for us' and others say, 'the focus is wrong.' MORE OF MEDIA AT THE PRESS BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC), SECRETARY-GENERAL, GWEDE MANTASHE, SAYING: "In the case of the opposition forces, the message is clearer that the intention is to dislodge the ANC from power. And they themselves it is not only about President Zuma, it's about the ANC." JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 27, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ANC NEC MEMBERS INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA AND THE TOP SIX MEMBERS TALKING MORE OF ZUMA TALKING FORMER AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION CHAIRPERSON NKOSAZANA DLAMINI-ZUMA, TALKING JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 29, 2017) (REUTERS) POLITICAL ANALYST, RALPH MATHEKGA, TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLITICAL ANALYST, RALPH MATHEKGA, SAYING: "There is an awareness within the ANC that his leadership is certainly controversial and the ANC is actually facing more risk of even losing the next elections because this. I remember some are now willing to actually raise their hands and stand openly as they did over the weekend and say to him that, ' we have lost confidence in your leadership'. So expect to see more of that happening over a period of time leading into the elective conference of the ANC." MATHEKGA'S HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLITICAL ANALYST, RALPH MATHEKGA, SAYING: "There is nothing significantly new, the only difference is that willingness now of members to actually be identified with those who say they have lost confidence in Jacob Zuma's leadership.
  • Embargoed: 12th June 2017 18:19
  • Keywords: ANC Zuma motion of no confidence Gupta
  • Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • City: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0026IW662V
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: NOTE TO EDITORS: PART VISUAL QUALITY AS INCOMING
    South African President Jacob Zuma has survived an attempt by critics inside the ruling African National Congress to oust him, a senior party official said.
    ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said the party's National Executive Committee had defeated a no confidence motion on Sunday (May 28).
    Zuma has been facing mounting pressure to go from within the ANC since he sacked finance minister Pravin Gordhan in March.
    That move has hit South Africa's rand, which weakened further on Monday (May 29).
    Political analyst Ralph Mathekga told Reuters the vote showed that critics within the ANC were now feeling bold enough to openly challenge Zuma.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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