PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma yesterday survived yet another day as head of state.
When the ANC on Tuesday night called off its special NEC meeting where his fate was due to be decided, expectations were high he would resign by yesterday.
But instead, ANC leader and deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa announced he had held fruitful and constructive talks with Zuma, which had laid the foundation for further talks.
In a statement released yesterday, Ramaphosa said he was aware of the uncertainty around Zuma’s fate and the anxiety it caused.
“This is understandable. However, I am certain that the process we have now embarked on will achieve an outcome that not only addresses these concerns, but also unites our people around the tasks that all of us must necessarily undertake to build our country.
“We will be able to communicate further on President Zuma’s position as president of the republic once we have finalised all pertinent matters,” the statement read.
Ramaphosa described the period as challenging and said both he and Zuma were aware people wanted closure, which they deserved.
The People’s Paper understands that during a meeting between the leaders, Zuma put certain conditions on the table that needed to be discussed before he could step down.
Some of the conditions believed to have been discussed included his court cases and who would pay for them, which Ramaphosa could not deliver any guarantees on.
Zuma is said to have raised concerns about MPs known to be his allies, and to have asked they not be purged. Ramaphosa apparently promised to apply his mind to the issue.
