South African President Jacob Zuma leadership could be in turmoil as he faces a motion and vote of no confidence in the South African National Assembly today.
Zuma, also faces a much more serious lack of support.
A huge number of people from the African National Congress, South Africa’s governing social democratic political party, are turning their backs on Zuma, and are doing so loudly.
“He must go,” Ben Toruk, a former anti-apartheid activist ssaid.
Motion to impeach was put forward by John Steenhuisen, chief whip of main opposition party Democratic Alliance, expressing widespread dissatisfaction with president Zuma.
On the other hand in defenxe of Mr. Zuma, ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has labelled the calls for Zuma’s exit “premature and unfounded”.
This comes as the opposition has unexpected backing from the so-called stalwarts of the party itself, ANC veterans and heroes.
One hundred and one ANC veterans have signed a document expressing serious concerns about the state of the country.
One of these individuals, Frank Chikane, former director general of the Presidency of South Africa under Nelson Mandela’s successor, Thabo Mbeki, told Al Jazeera that not only must Zuma go, the entire ANC leadership must be replaced.
“What we need is a total change and cleaning up of the system, ridding the corruption in ANC. If the president responded to the call for him to resign, it would help a great deal, but not solve the whole problem,” Chikane said.
n investigation by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog said a judicial inquiry should be set up to further investigate allegations of criminal activity in Mr Zuma’s government.
The investigation found evidence that the Guptas, a business family with links to Mr Zuma, may have wielded undue political influence over the appointment of ministers.
Both Mr Zuma and the Guptas have denied any wrongdoing.