South African President Zuma declares resignation

South African President Jacob Zuma declared his resignation when addressing the nation late Wednesday night.

South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has asked Zuma to leave office immediately, and made clear that should Zuma refuse, a motion of no-confidence against the president will take place in parliament Thursday.

Zuma has previously stated he will not resign in an interview with South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Wednesday afternoon.

In the interview, he also questioned the way the ANC pressured his resign.

"I'm told now they are taking a decision that tomorrow in parliament, there's going to be a vote of no confidence. Nobody's even come to me to say 'we are moving if you don't move'. What is the rush? I've been asking this question all the time. It's the manner in which it is being in a sense implemented, this decision, that I have a problem with," said Zuma.

Zuma said that the way the ANC leadership choose to force people out might cause a crisis within the organization.

"I think we are being plunged in a crisis that I'm sure my comrades, my leaders will regret. Because some people may not like this, may feel there's something wrong. I'm saying because in the process of the deputy president being removed in 2005, I've been at part of that problem. I became a president, that problem was brewing. And today, I'm just left with, one month or so (and) one year to go, we are still trying to deal with those matters. The leadership of the ANC, if it is not careful, they might actually cause a bigger problem than we think," said Zuma.

(Source: Reuters)