President Cyril Ramaphosa put off his planned address to the nation during which he was expected to step down after he was persuaded not to do so by several ANC provincial leaders and cabinet ministers.
Ramaphosa had prepared a speech by late afternoon on Thursday, ready to be delivered to the nation by 8pm, during which he was expected to announce he would withdraw from the ANC leadership race and prepare to hand over the running of the country to whoever is elected at the ANC elective conference in two weeks' time.may have committed a serious violation of the law and serious misconduct in terms of the constitution.
Those familiar with the discussions said it was only at that point that Ramaphosa started reconsidering his position. They are said to have told him this is a fight he can win and they would make sure he emerged from today’s ANC national executive committee meeting unscathed. “It was the provincial leaders who saved the day. Oscar, Zamani and them, and obviously Gwede as well, but those who actually got us through are the provincial leaders.
Sources also said Ramaphosa told them he no longer had “an appetite” for the perpetual factional fights, that all of this was affecting his family and some in the ANC did not appreciate what he was doing for the party and the country. The ANC step-aside rule only states that members should step aside if they face criminal prosecution.
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