South African lawmakers of the African National Congress (ANC) met on Tuesday and resolved to support President Jacob Zuma who is facing a no-confidence motion in parliament later in the day.
Zuma, who also attended the meeting, was described as being calm and jovial by the party’s chief whip Jackson Mthembu.
Several ANC lawmakers could be heard singing as they walked out of the meeting having agreed to support Zuma, he said.
But the Speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete had yesterday given a go ahead for a secret vote on the motion and all eyes are on the legislature to see if president Jacob Zuma will survive this eighth attempt to remove him from office.
While several civil society groups and opposition parties are calling for the president to step down with what has been described as a national shutdown, there are also pro-Zuma supporters who say the president must be left alone to do his job.
