Inside Zuma’s last moments as President of SA

Details of how former president Jacob Zuma was isolated during the week before he tendered in his resignation have surfaced.

According to City Press, Zuma was not convinced that he should step down as head of state and it was only after close family members, lawyers and allies spoke to him and persuaded him that he had no choice but to go that he finally relented.

ANC leaders at Luthuli House were apparently on high alert and analysed Zuma’s interview in which he alluded to having power over factions and people who would not be content with his recall. This was taken to mean that Zuma understood his former role as chief of intelligence services and that he could still exercise clout over a guerilla army.

The fact that his backers, Umkhonto We Sizwe and the Women’s League did not leap to his defence after his interview were tell tale signs that Zuma was isolated, City Press further reports.

Zuma’s refusal to resign lead to ANC leaders such as Treasurer General Paul Mashatile losing patience and eventually pushing for a motion of no confidence to be implemented in parliament. It is also understood that Zuma was set to make an announcement at 6pm instead of 10pm but he stalled to hear what the ANC caucus meeting had decided on. In that meeting the deputy communications minister defended him while everyone agreed to vote together.

Zuma’s veiled threat is also understood to have pointed towards the use of a Zulu army, amabutho who had previously protested against rumours of his recall weeks earlier. However, this was stopped by the Zulu King who held a meeting with him and also told him to step down.

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