S.Africa’s ANC to remove Zuma as head of state: local media

Johannesburg (AFP) – South Africa’s ruling ANC party ended marathon closed-door talks early Tuesday morning resolving to remove the scandal-tainted Jacob Zuma as head of state after he refused to resign, local media reported.

The party’s powerful 107-member national executive committee (NEC) met for 13 hours at a hotel outside Pretoria, and decided it would “recall” Zuma from his job as national president, three local independent media said.

“It took a brutal 13 hours, but the ANC’s national executive committee has decided to recall President Jacob Zuma as head of state,” the Times newspaper said citing unnamed sources.

Other media reported that the party will write to Zuma ordering him to stand down as president of Africa’s most advanced economy, after he had asked for a few more months in office.

There was no official announcement and ANC officials were not reachable to confirm the reports.

The party committee can “recall” the head of state, essentially forcing him to step down, but he is under no constitutional obligation to obey.

He will then likely be ousted via a parliamentary vote of no-confidence within days.