President Zuma vs An Agitating South Africa

SOUTH AFRICA - In Brief 02 Jun 2017 by Iraj Abedian

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May 2017 was not a good month for President Zuma and June started on an even shakier ground. All around him the ground is shifting, yet he remains defiant and somehow confident that this time too he will also be able to beat all odds. Political pundits are beginning to doubt. Some unusual developments indicate that the ground may have shifted somewhat too quickly and spinning out of control. The most important developments include:The three key alliance partners of the ANC, namely the SA Community Party (SACP), COSATU, and SANCO (SA National Civic Organisations) have first rejected Zuma in May, asking for him to step down, and now they have declared an open campaign for his removal. This is a serious dilemma for the ANC. Without these partners, the ANC runs a serious risk of losing the 2019 National Elections. The alliance partners want the ANC to make a call now, and not wait until 2019.Within the ANC structures, there is a growing pressure for Zuma to step down. Although within the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, Zuma supporters have prevailed twice over the past six months, there are signs that their endurance may have reached an unsustainable height. In the latest Parliamentary debate two days ago the leader of the opposition launched an unprecedented attack on President Zuma, in his presence and uncharacteristically there was no chorus of ANC MPs in defence of the President. The ANC MPs found themselves astounded, speechless and motionless in their seats, listening to the barrage of insults and humiliation piled on their leader. This is the first time since 1994, when the ANC MPs with their dominant majority could not rebuff the facts emerging abo...