South African President Resigns

Jacob Zuma, the President of South Africa, finally succumbed to the demands of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and resigned on Wednesday, ending his nine-year rule that was marred by multiple financial scandals. In a thirty-minute speech addressed to the South African nation, Mr. Zuma stated that he opposed the pressures from the ANC but accepted their directive to step down. He declared, "I have come to announce my decision to resign as President, and this resignation is effective immediately." Jacob Zuma continued, saying, "Although I have opposed the leadership's decision, I have always adhered to the regulations of the ANC as a member." Previously, Mr. Zuma had resisted calls for his resignation from the ruling party, asserting that he had done nothing wrong. However, this resistance had opened the door for his impeachment, which was set to be voted on Thursday. Just hours before his resignation, he told South African state television that the ANC had treated him unfairly. Jacob Zuma stated in the interview, "I have been made a scapegoat," complaining that senior ANC officials, including Cyril Ramaphosa, the Deputy President and his likely successor, had not provided clear reasons for his removal. According to the Associated Press, South African police raided the homes of several of Mr. Zuma's business associates on Wednesday, who are said to be involved in corruption cases. Financial corruption in the South African government has sparked public outrage, weakened the country's economy, and diminished the ANC's popularity. The ANC, the ruling party in South Africa, aims to stabilize the largest economy in Africa by transferring power to another individual to end the political turmoil in the country. The party wanted Jacob Zuma to resign before the end of his five-year presidential term to restore its popularity ahead of the 2019 elections. The party has planned to replace Jacob Zuma and is expected to end this crisis by electing Cyril Ramaphosa as President. ANC officials say the people of this country can no longer wait for these reforms. Opposition parties in Parliament had requested that Jacob Zuma's impeachment session be held on February 22, but the ANC, while supporting this unprecedented bipartisan impeachment effort, requested that the session be held a week earlier on Thursday, February 15. Cyril Ramaphosa, who was elected as the new leader of the ANC in December, has stated that the government will take further actions to combat financial corruption that has severely damaged the party's popularity. The ANC has held power in South Africa since 1994, following the end of white minority rule.