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South Africa's Zuma resigns rather than change constitution
South Africa's Jacob Zuma (center). File photo
by Joseph Earnest February 14, 2018
Newscast Media CAPE TOWN—On February 14, 2018, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma proved that South Africa may be the only sub-Saharan country whose institutions still function, when he resigned as president, after losing support of his party the African National Congress (ANC).
Zuma showed how much class he has by putting the interests of his country first, when he stepped down, something unheard of in the current crop of African leaders, most of whom have overstayed their tenures.
Zuma could have easily bribed members of the ruling ANC party to change the constitution in order to accommodate him, something some African leaders have become famous for, yet instead he said, "I respect the prescripts of the constitution and how we stay in and exit political office." That statement alone shows Zuma isn't some villager-turned-president holding his citizenry hostage, but a true statesman.
The man to keep an eye on is the popular yet controversial Julius Malema.
Zuma, the fourth president of the young republic, announced his resignation (with protest) after a 30-minute speech. He is the second president of South Africa to resign. In the past, the 75-year-old Zuma has been referred to as "The Teflon President" for constantly being embroiled in corruption scandals but holding onto his power, and the support of the dominant ANC.
However, he lost that support earlier in February, when ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa publicly stated that the ANC would hold a vote of no confidence on Thursday.
"It is now public knowledge that the ANC resolved to recall me as the president of the republic," Zuma said during his resignation speech. "I have now been compelled to resign after a promise for a vote of no confidence [in the National Assembly] tomorrow."
"The ANC is indeed the party on whose nomination I became a candidate for the presidency… it was on the ANC's nomination that I was later elected by the majority in the National Assembly as the president of the republic. I am forever indebted to the ANC, the liberation movement, which I've served almost all my life. I respect each member and leader of this glorious movement. I respect its gallant fight against sanctuaries of white minority brutality whose relics remain today and continue to be entrenched in all manner of sophisticated ways in order to ensure the continued survival of white privilege."
All my life, I've served and will continue to serve the ANC in pursuit of the objectives of the national democratic revolution. I've served within the prism of our much-acclaimed constitution, whose foundation of values I've fully subscribed to. I understand fully that while I serve at the pleasure of my party, the ANC… I [ultimately] serve the people through the National Assembly."
"We tend to place the political party above the supreme law of the country, which is the rulebook of the country's political engagement. I do not make this reference because I am above reproach. Nor do I wish to proclaim that my understanding of my political responsibilities, I have been the epitome of integrity. If truth be told, none of us are. However, I respect the prescripts of the constitution and how we stay in and exit political office."
"I do not fear exiting political office… I've served the people of South Africa to the best of my ability. I am forever grateful that they entrusted me with the highest office of the land." However, Zuma added that he wished to be presented with a list of transgressions that would detail why he was being asked to leave office.
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Source: Sputnik
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