South Africa’s Zuma resigns as president amid pressure

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) – South African President Jacob Zuma announced his resignation late Wednesday following calls from his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party to step down or face a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

“I resign as president,” Zuma said in a televised speech to the nation.

He said he made the decision to leave office with immediate effect despite disagreeing with his party’s verdict to remove him.

The ANC announced Tuesday that it had decided to remove Zuma, 75, whose second term in office as president would have ended in mid-2019.