Alternative Africa

Top Menu

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us

logo

Alternative Africa

  • Home
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Reports
    • Africa-Observers
      • Read Reports
      • Submit a story
  • MORE
    • Health
    • News Now
    • World
    • Technology
  • Former French president, Sarkozy sentenced to three years in jail for corruption

  • Ghana to distribute covid vaccines by drone, UPS

  • Ghana president, Akufo-Addo, wife, VP Bawumia take covid vaccine on TV ahead of national rollout

  • Ghana to administer Coronavirus vaccines free in all hospitals as VP takes first shot

  • France authorises first synthetic antibody treatment for severe Covid-19

News Now
Home›News Now›End game

End game

By alternativeafrica
December 20, 2017
779
0
Share:
South Africa's President Jacob ZumaImage copyright EPA
Image caption Jacob Zuma was president of the ANC for a decade

Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s scandal-hit president, may not see out his second term now that the governing African National Congress (ANC) party has elected Cyril Ramaphosa its leader.

For the last few years Mr Ramaphosa has been Mr Zuma’s deputy, but their relationship has been an uneasy one.

Mr Ramaphosa ran on an anti-corruption ticket, and many believe this means he is much more likely to make sure allegations of corruption against Mr Zuma are pursued.

Here are a few ways things may play out ahead of general elections in 2019:

1. Zuma is fired

Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption President Zuma’s term as president of the country ends in 2019

The ANC will want to avoid two competing centres of power – with rival leaders holding the posts of president of the party and president of the country.

So it may choose to sack Mr Zuma as president of the country, seeing him as a political liability in the run-up to the election.

This would open the way for Mr Ramaphosa to take power and try to regain the confidence of voters amid fears that the ANC’s 62% majority is under serious threat.

But it would be a risky move as it could split the party.

Some powerful allies of Mr Zuma, including the new ANC deputy president and secretary-general, may resist moves to sack him.

It would not be the first time a president has been fired – it happened to Thabo Mbeki in 2008 after he lost the ANC leadership to Mr Zuma.

Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption Thabo Mbeki resigned in a televised address to the nation after being recalled

The decision to sack Mr Zuma would be made by the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC), which is its highest decision-making body.

One of the NEC’s members would need to table a motion to “recall” him as president of the country.

The NEC’s members, who number more than 100, would then vote on it or reach a consensus decision.

The party is due to vote in new NEC members at the ANC conference, which ends on Wednesday – so whether those chosen are supporters of Mr Zuma is likely to have a bearing on this.

It is impossible to predict when a “recall” might happen, but some analysts think the ANC might want to have Mr Zuma out of office by the time of the annual State of the Nation address in February.

However, political analyst Somadoda Fikeni thinks it may happen much later, when Mr Zuma’s leadership becomes untenable.

President Zuma’s legal woes are likely to come to a head later in 2018, he says.

These include:

  • The possibility that 18 charges of corruption, stemming from an arms deal in the late 1990s being reinstated.
  • The prospect of an inquiry into so called “state capture” – the allegation that a wealthy Indian family – the Guptas- has influenced government through a corrupt relationship with Mr Zuma. Both Mr Zuma and the Guptas deny the allegations.

Mr Fikeni says the ANC leadership knows that Mr Zuma is “not the kind to bow out without a fight. He would be prepared to bring the ANC down in flames”.

The start of the state capture commission, and other legal processes against might force the issue.

  • What Ramaphosa’s victory means for South Africa
  • The trials of Jacob Zuma

2. Zuma steps down

Another possibility Mr Fikeni points to is that the ANC leadership might convince Mr Zuma to resign.

ANC leaders “do understand the political cost of Zuma, who will be in and out of courts” over the next year, he says.

“That in itself will be a death knell in 2019 [ahead of elections],” he adds.

Instead the leadership is “likely to talk to [Mr Zuma] nicely, and appeal to him to step down”, says Mr Fikeni.

“If he resists, a ‘recall’ might become inevitable.”

  • Jacob Zuma profile
  • How Jacob Zuma’s presidency shaped South African speech

3. Zuma remains in office

Then there are those who argue that it would be unwise for Mr Ramaphosa to try and sack Mr Zuma because it could fracture the party even further, and detract from what the real focus should be: Preparing to fight the 2019 election.

Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption The ANC is South Africa’s biggest political party

Instead, they say that Mr Ramaphosa would be better advised to allow Mr Zuma to become tied up in his legal woes, effectively neutralising him.

The South African judiciary is robust and independent, and has put high-profile political figures in prison before.

Some analysts believe Mr Zuma will be far too busy dealing with his own legal problems to cause any real threat to Mr Ramaphosa.

Further, proponents of this scenario say it would leave Mr Ramaphosa free to focus on the real issues that will impact on the upcoming general election:

  • Uniting the governing party, which has become bitterly fractured over the leadership bid.
  • And convincing ordinary South Africans that the ANC can still represent their interests.
SHARE ON:
TagsAfricaBreakingNews
Previous Article

South Sudan Army Makes Push Against Rebels ...

Next Article

Antenna power

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

alternativeafrica

Related articles More from author

  • News Now

    Ethiopia court jails members of outlawed group Ginbot 7

    January 12, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    Nigerian Oshoala’s triple triumph and more success for Egypt

    January 5, 2018
    By alternativeafrica
  • News NowWorld

    Balfour: UK government ‘should hang its head in shame’

    October 29, 2017
    By alternativeafrica
  • AfricaBusinessNews Now

    How does the rise of digital commerce, online shopping affect employment in Africa?

    March 16, 2019
    By alternativeafrica
  • News NowWorld

    When is Thanksgiving Day and why is it celebrated?

    November 23, 2017
    By alternativeafrica
  • News Now

    Here’s Why Solo Female Travel Is Still A Big Deal

    August 17, 2017
    By alternativeafrica

Leave a reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You might be interested

  • BusinessNews Now

    Nigeria Recorded Favourable Trade Balance in Q2-NBS

  • AfricaHealthNews Now

    Guinea president, Alpha Conde becomes first African leader to receive Covid-19 jab

  • AfricaBusinessNews Now

    Nigeria: Abuja new airport terminal to handle 15m passengers

Timeline

  • March 1, 2021

    Former French president, Sarkozy sentenced to three years in jail for corruption

  • March 1, 2021

    Ghana to distribute covid vaccines by drone, UPS

  • March 1, 2021

    Ghana president, Akufo-Addo, wife, VP Bawumia take covid vaccine on TV ahead of national rollout

  • March 1, 2021

    Ghana to administer Coronavirus vaccines free in all hospitals as VP takes first shot

  • March 1, 2021

    France authorises first synthetic antibody treatment for severe Covid-19

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Morocco begins regional integration by connecting Casablanca Airport with High Speed Train

    By alternativeafrica
    January 4, 2020
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Nigeria: 32,000 capacity Lagos rice mill to start production in 2020

    By alternativeafrica
    December 23, 2019
  • Ado zagi
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Nigeria: EFCC Academy to begin award of degree

    Diploma leave areply from
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack followed a ...
AlternativeAfrica.com is an independent Pan African News Website dedicated primarily to influencing the negative narratives about Africa. We hope to do this by focusing and showcasing the many developmental strides sweeping across the continent.

Read more >>>

Contact Info

  • info@alternativeafrica.com
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Former French president, Sarkozy sentenced to three years in jail for corruption

    By alternativeafrica
    March 1, 2021
  • Ghana to distribute covid vaccines by drone, UPS

    By alternativeafrica
    March 1, 2021
  • Ghana president, Akufo-Addo, wife, VP Bawumia take covid vaccine on TV ahead of national rollout

    By alternativeafrica
    March 1, 2021
  • Ghana to administer Coronavirus vaccines free in all hospitals as VP takes first shot

    By alternativeafrica
    March 1, 2021
  • Lagos govt confirms first case of deadly coronavirus infection in Nigeria

    By alternativeafrica
    February 28, 2020
  • Keynote Address of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at 2018 Oxford Africa Conference

    By PSJ Africa
    May 14, 2018
  • Macron in Ivory Coast to launch anti-terrorism academy

    By alternativeafrica
    December 21, 2019
  • Kenyan govt pressure Facebook for data on Kenyan users

    By alternativeafrica
    November 20, 2019
  • Ado zagi
    on
    January 12, 2021

    Nigeria: EFCC Academy to begin award of degree

    Diploma leave areply from
  • Ethiopia joins Africa's Artificial Intelligence revolution | Alternative Africa
    on
    October 2, 2020

    Spending on Artificial Intelligence Systems in Africa, Middle East to top $374 million in 2020

    […] Many African countries ...
  • The 5 most popular Africans 2020
    on
    September 25, 2020

    Celebrating Congolese doctor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the man behind breakthrough of Ebola cure

    […] Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe ...
  • Millitants in Central Mali Set Jail Ablaze in Attack Killing Two | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense ...
    on
    August 11, 2020

    Fifteen gendarmes killed in another attack on Mali camp

    […] attack fol­lowed a January ...

Photostream

    Follow us

    • Home
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Contact Us
    © Copyright Alternative Africa 2019. All rights reserved.