ASSESSMENTS

South Africa Moves Beyond Zuma

Feb 12, 2018 | 22:21 GMT

The fortunes of South African President Jacob Zuma, left, have looked bleak since the end of 2017, when the ANC elected Zuma's rival, Cyril Ramaphosa, right, as its new party president.

The fortunes of South African President Jacob Zuma, left, have looked bleak since the end of 2017, when the ANC elected Zuma's rival, Cyril Ramaphosa, right, as its new party president.

(GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

  • The new president of South Africa's ruling party, Cyril Ramaphosa, is set on ousting South African President Jacob Zuma.
  • Zuma's eventual removal will benefit the African National Congress in upcoming 2019 general elections, as it will strip the opposition of the ability to use the president's many corruption scandals as political fodder.
  • Ramaphosa wants to steer the party away from its recent history of corruption and mismanagement, but pulling it out of its long-term decline will be a challenge.

The long and winding road of South African President Jacob Zuma's political career is finally reaching its end. On Feb. 12, members of the ruling African National Congress' (ANC) National Executive Council met to plan the end of Zuma's presidency. There are conflicting reports from sources within the ANC about whether Zuma has agreed to resign: some in the party assert that he is on board, while others say that Zuma has refused but that the ANC intends to override him with a vote of no confidence. Zuma's spokesman has labeled reports of the president's willing resignation "fake news." But regardless of whether he goes voluntarily, Zuma will almost certainly be stepping off the political stage soon....

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