South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has said ruling party leaders have not given clear reasons for him to resign and calls his treatment “unfair”.
Mr Zuma broke his silence on Wednesday in a live interview with state broadcaster SABC as the nation awaited word on whether he would obey a ruling party order to leave office.
Earlier in the day police had raided the home of a business family linked to the embattled leader.
Mr Zuma says the ruling African National Congress has not followed party procedures in trying to unseat him. The ANC wants parliament to vote on Thursday on a motion of no confidence if he does not resign on Wednesday.
“I need to be furnished on what I’ve done,” Mr Zuma says. “What is this hurry?”
#Mashatile The most pressing thing is to get ANC President Ramaphosa to be elected as the President of the country. #CaucusBriefing
— ANC Parliament (@ANCParliament) February 14, 2018
Agents from the Hawks, an elite police investigative unit, earlier entered the compound of the Gupta family in an affluent neighbourhood of Johannesburg. Three people were arrested in operations at various addresses, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.
The family is suspected of using its connections to the president to influence Cabinet appointments and win state contracts, and has been a flashpoint for national anger over corruption in state enterprises during Mr Zuma’s tenure. Both the Guptas and Mr Zuma say they have done nothing wrong.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa is poised to replace Mr Zuma, who could face a motion of no confidence in parliament if he defies his party’s order to step down.
As the Gupta-linked investigation proceeds, Mr Zuma could face corruption charges tied to an arms deal two decades ago.
South Africa’s chief prosecutor is expected to make a decision on whether to prosecute Mr Zuma on the old charges, which were reinstated last year after being thrown out in 2009.
In another scandal, South Africa’s top court ruled in 2016 that Mr Zuma violated the constitution following an investigation of multimillion-dollar upgrades to his private home using state funds. The president paid back some of the money.
