Has Zuma's fate been sealed?

2005-06-14 10:02

Cape Town - On Tuesday morning SAfm quoted presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo as denying that President Thabo Mbeki had not made any decision on his deputy, Jacob Zuma.

Speculation is rife that President Thabo Mbeki had fired Zuma in a meeting of the ANC's top six officials at Luthuli House in Johannesburg on Monday.

Zuma left the meeting two hours before the rest.

Beeld quoted a member of the ANC's national executive committee as saying, "This can only mean that Zuma has resigned or has been asked to resign because criminal charges are pending."

The Cape Times cited "senior government officials" as their source of information that Zuma had been fired, while the Star speculated that ANC national chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota would replace Zuma. Although Lekota is a likely choice, foreign affairts minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma may also be in the running.

Business Day reported that Mbeki had summoned the ANC's communist and union allies to a meeting on Tuesday morning. Zuma's backers in the ANC-led alliance said they were "prepared for the worst".

No official comment has come from the presidency, and a presidential spokesperson has only confirmed that Mbeki will address "all matters arising from the Shaik court case" in a special joint sitting of parliament.

Mbeki is expected to announce the fate of his deputy to the country at 14:00 on Tuesday.

All indications are that Zuma's fate was decided in Monday's meeting at Luthuli House, and the question that now remains is whether Mbeki will fire his deputy, or whether Zuma will gracefully step down from his position.

- News24