South Africa's Zuma gets party's backing, sacked minister resigns as MP

South Africa’s ruling party the African National Congress (ANC) has openly backed President Jacob Zuma over his recent cabinet reshuffle after some top members criticized the action.

ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe, who had earlier criticized Zuma’s action, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the party’s National Working Committee has “accepted that the irretrievable breakdown of relationship was sufficient explanation between president and members of Cabinet.”

The Committee is reported to have met on Tuesday night to discuss the public criticism against Zuma by Secretary General Gwede Mantashe, Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

“Officials had a candid report on serious issue disagreements, it was a mistake that must not to be committed again,” Mantashe said, adding that “we must find it adult enough to close the door, beat each other up, if you find me with a blue eye, I must develop a narrative that I bumped a pole rather than going public with disagreements.”

In a related development, former Transport Minister Dipuo Peters has resigned as Member of Parliament.

Her resignation took effect on March 31 after the cabinet reshuffle that cost her the ministerial position, a top ANC member in parliament confirmed to local media News 24.

South African opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has received the backing of firebrand Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party to table a motion of no confidence against Zuma for the reshuffle.

The speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete, who is also the national chairperson of the ANC said last week that she would consider the request from the opposition parties.