AS IT HAPPENED: ANC NEC resolves to recall Zuma

NEC sources say Ramaphosa told them that Zuma had agreed to resign during their Tuesday meeting but then Zuma wanted to put 3 months stay in office condition. It was rejected by NEC. 

NEC member confirms meeting is now finished. Exactly 13 hours later. 

Ramaphosa has returned to ANC NEC meeting at exactly midnight. We are now on day two of the NEC meeting. He's expected to give feedback to the NEC.

Ramaphosa’s motorcade arrives at St George hotel from Mahlamba Ndlopfu.

Journalists waiting outside St George hotel for Ramaphosa motorcade to arrive from Mahlamba Ndlopfu. (Mahlatse Mahlase, News24)

Ramaposa has reportedly arrived at Mahlamba Ndlopfu, the official residence for the President. 

News24 has reliably learned that the ANC's NEC has given President Jacob Zuma a final opportunity to resign or be recalled. Two sources attending a marathon meeting of the NEC in Pretoria have confirmed that Zuma will have a day or two to step down, or be fired. 

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has been delegated to relay this message to Zuma.

An NEC member just told me ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa and SG Ace Magashule have gone to deliver the NEC's message to President Zuma. 

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa's motorcade just drove out of St George's hotel.

ANALYSIS | Rand takes global & local volatility in its stride

In a whirlwind week, the rand was really caught in the middle of a global thunderstorm.

However, a volatile few days only created a range of around 20c - surprisingly low.What is most important from this week, is that we are NOWHERE near coming out of the woods - after the delayed State of the Nation Address, and a seemingly bungled ousting of President Jacob Zuma (perhaps Zuma has another card up his sleeve against Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa?), we still have no clarity - no clear plan as where we are going in the month of February.

OPINION: Why Ramaphosa could be reluctant to chop the head off the snake

Our politics seem stuck in a twilight zone. As we make every effort to push back Day Zero in the Cape, there's another D-Day that cannot seem to arrive quickly enough.

Journalists have been eagerly awaiting news of talks within the ANC, hungry to be the first to break any news of the latest developments around the so-called Zexit. The impatience is rapidly transforming into disdain, as they and the rest of South Africa grow tired of waiting.

By 20:00, six hours after they started their meeting, the ANC's national executive committee was still locked in talks about President Jacob Zuma's future. The 107-strong committee is expected to decide whether Zuma must be recalled as head of state. 

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that the NEC would bring "finality" to the matter. 

"You don't want a situation where the country is on autopilot and that seems to be the case. Nobody seems to be exercising any leadership at government level. In that sense, we're very fortunate that we're actually a very stable country. Were it another country right now, it would be chaos in the streets.The ANC would like us to believe that it is the strategic centre of power, but it is failing at the moment to give direction, keeping citizens guessing about where it's heading." - Mpumelelo Mkhabela, political analyst 

Parliament statement on EFF request for rescheduling of motion of no confidence

Parliament, Monday 12 February 2018 – Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, on behalf of Speaker Ms Baleka Mbete, has responded to the request from the Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Mr Julius Malema to reschedule the EFF’s motion of no confidence in the President to 13 February.

In the letter to Mr Malema and the attorneys of the EFF, Ms Mbete said she was currently consulting on the request to reschedule the motion and would revert after this.

The Rules of the National Assembly entailed consultation with relevant structures, including the Chief Whip of the Majority Party and the Leader of Government Business.

Ms Mbete originally scheduled the motion for 22 February.

This was after consulting with the Chief Whip of the Majority Party and the Leader of Government Business and obtaining confirmation for the 22 February scheduling from the National Assembly Programme Committee.

In her letter today, Ms Mbete said she was currently consulting on the request and would revert to Mr Malema.Reports that the Speaker had rejected the EFF’s request to schedule the Motion of No Confidence on 13 February are, therefore, false.

ANCYL president Collen Maine seen leaving NEC meeting at St George’s hotel. Meeting started at 14:00. 

Several cars are reportedly leaving the hotel. 

"Zuma can refuse to resign, but that would be like a Kamikaze pilot, destroying the benefits he has left. As we are learning the deal has collapsed because Zuma was asking for too much; he was asking for more security and money for his legal fees. So I think refusing to resign will be a very risky move by Zuma, but not something you could put past him." - Adriaan Basson, News24 editor. 

"I would be very surprised if Cyril Ramaphosa doesn't get the recall through the NEC today. Yes, he was elected with a very slim majority at Nasrec in December. But since then, everything he's done has shifted the momentum towards him." - Adriaan Basson, News24 editor

"There's a fine line between the political process and the legal process. Politically, the ANC may be well within its rights to recall the ANC president, but unless and until the president resigns and that leads to a vacancy in the Presidency, it's really of no legal force.

"The Constitution does envisage a situation where a president has been recalled but refuses to tender that resignation.

"In that instance, it's quite possible for the party to either impeach him, or call for a motion of no confidence.

"If a motion of no confidence succeeds, it would also remove the deputy president and the entire Cabinet.

"The deputy president then becomes an ordinary MP or backbencher and, of course, it would then depend on the Members of Parliament whether they voted for him to become president and complete President Jacob Zuma's term. In all of this Speaker Baleka Mbete becomes acting president," Phephelaphi Dube, constitutional expert

SABC's Ikaneng: It's a matter of hours for an announcement to be finally made... it's a matter of time. (Says Union Buildings and ANC finalising communication about Zuma's departure).

Opposition parties want Parliament dissolved

Opposition parties on Monday agreed that Parliament should be dissolved following a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma.

After the opposition parties represented in Parliament met on Monday, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said they have resolved that they want the motion of no confidence in Zuma, currently scheduled for February 22, to be heard this week.

Now that opposition parties have called for dissolution of Parliament, read the article below on how Parliament can be dissolved.  

The press conference ends. 

Malema says Mbete's rationale for scheduling the motion of no confidence in Zuma on February 22 is illogical. It was based on assumption that SONA would go ahead, then the budget speech. "But there is no SONA." The order is upside down.

Malema says they have now exhausted all options since the last motion of no confidence in Zuma. That is why they are calling for dissolution of Parliament.

Malema says the EFF didn't oppose the #dissolution of Parliament. Previously, it was not a consensus. Now, they have agreed as colleagues.

Malema says that why people like ANC MP Derek Hanekom have become so vocal. "They are dancing, they want their turn to eat."