South African President Jacob Zuma survived an attempt to oust him from office only after a "robust" and "difficult" debate within the ruling ANC party, an official said Tuesday. Zuma has been weakened by corruption allegations, but his supporters were taken by surprise at the plot to unseat him at a weekend meeting of the African National Congress's executive committee.
The rebellion, led by at least four ministers, was the most serious threat to Zuma's hold on power since he became president in 2009. It also shook the ANC party, which has ruled since the end of apartheid in 1994 but recently suffered a sharp setback in local elections.
"Following robust, honest, candid and at times difficult discussions, the (ANC national executive committee) did not support the call for the president to step down," Gwede Mantashe, the ANC secretary general, told reporters. "All members of the (executive committee) had an opportunity to raise, in the meeting, the issues they feel are hurting the movement and the country."
Local media said the meeting - which was extended into Monday evening - was tense, with tempers flaring and some ministers threatening to resign if Zuma stayed, a claim the party denied. "We are not aware of anyone who has said they are going to resign," ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte insisted. Reports also claimed the president launched a fierce defence of his position, and his loyalists eventually headed off the attempt to oust him.
"The president told us that he will never step down, as it would be like handing himself over to the enemy, and that there are people who want to see him in jail," an unnamed source at the closed-door meeting told the News24 website. Zuma left South Africa early on Tuesday to attend the funeral of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party, said the ANC's decision to back Zuma was "no surprise".