ANC national chairperson Baleka Mbete has revealed that the party's top six leaders are working hard to calm the storm as national executive committee members are divided over the future of those who want President Jacob Zuma to step down.
Mbete was in KwaMashu, north of Durban, at the weekend to deliver a memorial lecture on the late ANC struggle stalwart Dumisani Makhaye.
She told Independent Media that it was not only the youth league that had called for harsher action against Zuma’s adversaries within the NEC. Other NEC members were “hurt and shocked” when their colleagues in the NEC meeting called for the resignation of those who supported a motion that Zuma should step down.
“Comrades raised this, and we were hurt, and it shocked us, but we agreed that everyone should discuss the matter.
“As leaders in the top six we are going to meet on Monday (today) to have a serious discussion,” Mbete said.
The issue would also be further discussed during other meetings of the national working committee.
Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom had during the NEC meeting tabled the motion, which was supported by, among others, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor and ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu.
The motion, which divided the NEC, was tabled at the last NEC meeting for the year in Irene, Pretoria.
After Zuma had survived the motion, ANC Youth League leaders in KZN openly called for those who wanted Zuma out to resign or be removed “because they cannot work in the cabinet of a president they don't trust”.
ANCYL chairman in the eThekwini region Thembo Ntuli said last week that tabling and supporting the motion was a sign of collaborating with the enemies of the ANC and government.
“We request the NEC to look at them,” said Ntuli.
ANCYL KZN secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo had also said the ministers had automatically tendered their resignations by rising against Zuma.
“Zuma must not waste time with people who do not trust him. He must fire them now,” he said..