Mbeki out: How and why

How can the ANC push out Mbeki?

A South African president can be removed if two-thirds of Parliament supports a vote outlining he was guilty of a serious violation of the constitution or laws.

He can also be deposed through a vote of no-confidence which needs just a majority.

But the process is more simple if Mbeki resigns – Parliament must then appoint a new president within 30 days. With the ANC’s more-than-two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, this task should be a relatively easy process.

Why did the ANC ask him to step down?

Mbeki has been locked in a rivalry battle with ANC leader Jacob Zuma since 2005 when Zuma became embroiled in a corruption scandal. Mbeki fired Zuma as deputy president, enraging trade unions and rank-and-file ANC members.

The left was angry over Mbeki’s pro-business policies and accused him of mounting a campaign to ruin Zuma’s political career. Support from unions and members of the ANC youth wing helped Zuma defeat Mbeki for the ANC leadership late last year.

The infighting reached a climax last week when a High Court judge threw out graft charges against Zuma and suggested that high-level officials may have meddled in the case.

The prosecutors’ decision to appeal the ruling further angered Zuma’s supporters, who called for Mbeki to be fired.

(Source: News24.com)