Quit now or risk being killed, brother warns President Zuma

Jacob Zuma has faced calls to quit from several members of the African National Congress (ANC) after the ruling party suffered its worst losses in municipal elections in August. (Photo: Reuters)

President Jacob Zuma has received the latest call for his resignation from his own brother, according to a media report.

This comes as the South African leader clings to power despite a string of scandals.

Zuma’s younger brother Michael urged him to quit or risk being killed, the Sunday Times reported.

The president has survived accusations of corruption and even rape before he took office in 2009, showing no signs of leaving office before 2019 when he is required by law to step down after two five-year terms.

“My brother is having a very difficult time and I have never seen such difficulty,” said Michael Zuma, speaking from the family’s rural home of Nkandla in the KwaZulu-Natal province.

“My brother has such difficulty in such a way that you fear that they are going to kill him,” he said, without elaborating on any death threats.

Presidential spokesman Bongani Ngqulunga said he could not comment on family matters, while State Security Minister David Mahlobo told Reuters he could not comment on Zuma’s safety.

“We never discuss any security details of the president,” he said.

The leader of Africa’s most industrialised nation has faced calls to quit from several members of the African National Congress (ANC) after the ruling party suffered its worst losses in municipal elections in August. But the ANC’s top echelons have backed the president.

Last Thursday, anti-apartheid campaigner Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a former first lady and wife of the late Nelson Mandela, said South Africa needed fresh leadership, but stopped short of asking Zuma to resign.

The opposition failed in a bid to remove Zuma through a motion of no-confidence in parliament in April following a scandal over lavish improvements including a swimming pool and amphitheatre at his Nkandla home.

Paid back

Zuma has since paid back the money spent on non-security features. Mid this month, Zuma attempted to brush aside market fears of a power struggle with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, declaring: “There is no war between the Presidency and the Treasury.”

Zuma twice repeated the phrase in response to a question in parliament. “I am clarifying that point. It must be as clear as anything,” he told lawmakers.

An elite police unit is investigating Gordhan over a so-called “rogue spy” unit at the tax agency, set up when he was at its helm. Some analysts say Zuma’s allies are driving the probe in a bid to oust Gordhan, something the president denied.

The affair has rattled markets in Africa’s most industrialised economy, which faces the risk of ratings downgrades later this year.

Divisions within ANC have widened since the ruling party suffered its worst-ever local election results last month, with analysts blaming the rifts on a conflict between Zuma and Gordhan.

Gordhan declined last month to obey a police summons linked to the inquiry into whether he had used a tax service unit to spy on politicians, including Zuma. He said he had done nothing wrong, and the opposition has called the investigation a witch hunt.

Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas earlier said the probe into Gordhan was causing economic uncertainty.

“It does destabilise, not only Treasury, it creates uncertainties across the economy,” Jonas told 702 Talk Radio.

A frustrated Zuma also complained about the constant heckling he faces from opposition parties when he tries to address parliament. The ultra-left Economic Freedom Fighters party earlier walked out of parliament after initially disrupting Zuma’s answers to the national assembly.

“Each time when I come here, I am abused by members of your parliament, because instead of answering questions I sit here being called a criminal, a thief. I think this house must do something about it,” he said.