African National Congress hold crisis talks over President Jacob Zuma controversy
The ANC backed Mr Zuma, 73, after the Constitutional Court rebuked him for ignoring public protector Thuli Madonsela’s order that he pay back some of the $16m (€14m) spent on upgrading his private Nkandla home.
However, the scandal, one of several which have dogged Zuma over the past decade, could strain relations between the ANC and its allies the South African Communist Party (SACP) and labour federation Cosatu.
ANC officials declined to give details of yesterday’s meeting by the party’s national working committee, which follows that of the ANC’s top six leaders on Friday.
Analysts say the Constitutional Court ruling is a blow to Zuma’s credibility and could harm the ANC ahead of municipal elections due between May and August.
National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete, who is also the ruling party’s chairwoman, said on Sunday that parliament would today debate a motion by the opposition to impeach Zuma.
The motion is, however, likely to fail in the house where the ANC still enjoys a comfortable majority, with 62% of the 400-seat assembly.
“Zuma remains in control of his party and with a significant degree of electoral popularity, especially in rural areas and KwaZulu-Natal,” BNP Paribus Securities South Africa political analyst Nic Borain said.
In a televised address to the nation on Friday evening, Zuma apologised and said he would pay back some of the money spent on the updgrades at Nkandla, but denied acting dishonestly.
On Sunday, a jocular Mr Zuma told a cheering crowd in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal that he was still youthful and remained South Africa’s leader, making no specific mention of the Nkandla issue.
Support for Mr Zuma from ANC allies has been restrained.
In a statement, the SACP applauded Mr Zuma for publicly apologising on Friday.
However, it warned the Constitutional Court ruling was a signal to the alliance that “decisive action is now imperative, otherwise the continuing loss of moral authority, political paralysis, and fragmentation of our movement will continue”.
