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ANC NEC debating motion to recall Zuma

Johannesburg - A motion to recall President Jacob Zuma has been raised in the ANC national executive committee meeting on Friday, sources have told News24.

The two-day meeting that started on Thursday, is continuing in Irene in Pretoria.

According to the three sources attending the two-day meeting, the motion to recall Zuma was raised by newly elected NEC member David Masondo, the head of the Automotive Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) in Gauteng, late on Friday afternoon.  

The motion was backed by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Bheki Cele, who backed Ramaphosa's presidency.

In his political report before the motion, Ramaphosa is said to have told the NEC meeting in Irene that he was "working well with [the] head of state and was managing the transition".

Ramaphosa met with Zuma early this month after his December election. Details of the meeting were never released, but Zuma denied that he was instructed to institute a Commission of Inquiry into state capture, that he finally announced would be headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Ramaphosa's supporters want Zuma recalled to avoid "two centres of power" and to start the party on a "clean slate" ahead of the 2019 elections. 

Also read: Zuma supporters warn Ramaphosa against firing him now

Another source said Ramaphosa raised the crisis at Eskom that has alarmed members.

"The issue of Eskom was highlighted by the [ANC] president. I think it scared a lot of comrades. The president indicated that he is advised that it is better to deal with Eskom matter instead of rushing to [the World Economic Forum (WEF) in] Davos. He might come back and find the country in a crisis because of [the] Eskom matter."

Eskom has a month-end deadline to release its financials.

In December, the parastatal said it was postponing the release of results as it needed to review the impact of the 5.23 percent electricity tariff increase granted by the energy regulator, as opposed to the more than 19 percent it had asked for. 

On Thursday Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba warned that, if Eskom is not dealt with urgently, South Africa's whole economy could collapse by the time Team SA returns from Davos.

Gigaba said at a pre-WEF breakfast meeting in Johannesburg that the fiscus simply does not have the funds to bail out Eskom.

The meeting is continuing.

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