EFF leader Julius Malema‚ commenting on the announcement on Tuesday that the state of the nation address had been postponed‚ says President Jacob Zuma’s resignation is imminent.
Malema said most ANC national working committee members who met on Monday had spoken “in favour of his removal”.
He will resign anytime from now
— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) February 6, 2018
Parliamentary presiding officers Baleka Mbete and Thandi Modise on Tuesday afternoon announced the postponement of the state of the nation address, which had been due to take place on Thursday in Cape Town.
Mbete said: “We’ve decided to approach the president of the republic to postpone the state of the nation address. We need to create room for establishing a much more conducive atmosphere in Parliament.”
Opposition parties had asked that the speech be postponed until after a no-confidence vote on Zuma’s leadership.
Facing a no-confidence motion in Parliament set for February 22, Zuma has survived several attempts to oust him in the past. But this time, a significant part of the ANC wants him to step down well before his second term ends by mid-2019.
The ANC has called a special meeting of its decision-making national executive committee for Wednesday. Analysts have said some members of the party at that meeting could call for Zuma to resign.
Mbete said a new date for the state of the nation address would be announced shortly.
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