Zuma corruption trial

Throwback: Remember when Zuma said he’d step down if asked? [video]

No meandos.

Zuma corruption trial

Things are tense AF right now. In an unprecedented move, Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete announced the postponed of the 2018 State of the Nation address on Tuesday.

It’s the first time ever that this has happened in South Africa. The reasoning was a bit wishy washy – meandos about disruptions and what what.

She said that the threat of disruptions led to her writing to the President asking him to postpone. At the same time, Mbete said they were informed that President Zuma was already in the process of writing to her to request a postponement.

Calls for Zuma to step down have been growing rapidly and since Cyril Ramaphosa took over as ANC President, those calls have gotten louder.

Since the ANC’s Elective Conference, there have been talks that some of JZ’s allies are trying to negotiate a nice exit deal for him. But that’s  not so simple, obviously.

Anyway.

Speculation is going in all sorts of directions. There’s a special NEC meeting scheduled for Wednesday. Anything could happen there. Including the NEC asking him to resign – or face a recall.

But will he? Well, at his birthday bash last year, Zuma said he would.

Back then, Zuma said:

“I want to tell you now, my friends that if you tell me to step down tomorrow, I will… I will remain an ANC member until I die.

“There is a short period left until I finish the task I was given by the ANC. A new president will come in in December, elected by the ANC. Even if you say I must leave, I will leave with a clear heart.”

Watch: Zuma says he’ll step down if asked

Now we wait and see – first if he asked and then whether he honours his word. No meandos, ok, Mr. (for now) President?