South African President Jacob Zuma has won the day after a special extended ANC National Working Committee (NWC) meeting today rejected calls for him to step down.

Three top ANC officials; Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, Secretary General Gwede Mantashe and Treasurer General Zweli Mkhize all accepted that they made a mistake by publicly criticising Zuma following his Cabinet reshuffle.

“Officials had a candid report on serious issue disagreements, it was a mistake that must not to be committed again,” Mantashe said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

The party members who attended the NWC meeting had also accepted that Zuma’s broken relationship with former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was enough reason for him to fire him.

“NWC accepted that the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship was sufficient explanation between the president and members of Cabinet, [the] issue of an intelligence report complicated the matter,” Mantashe said.

The NWC meeting included provincial chairpersons and secretaries, and was said to be dominated by Zuma supporters.

The survival of President Zuma from impeachment  mean that the only other option left to have him removed from office is a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly.

Parliament is currently in recess until May 2, but opposition parties are pushing for Parliament to reconvene earlier than scheduled so that a no-confidence motion can be put before the National Assembly. – State Media