"How could we as South Africans be held to ransom like that?" asked Mmusi Maimane on Wednesday, speaking to Talk Radio 702 about President Jacob Zuma's torturous recall saga. He claimed that Zuma is not the problem – the problem is the ANC itself.
The heist, the state capture and the building of Nkandla is not the actions of one man, it is the actions of a collective. We don't have a Zuma problem, we have an ANC problem"
"58-million South Africans are spectators to 100 people gathering on a decision [the Zuma recall]. I think we should move with urgency, and hope Zuma begins a new chapter for SA," he said.
"The heist, the state capture and the building of Nkandla are not the actions of one man, it is the actions of a collective. We don't have a Zuma problem – we have an ANC problem."
He insisted that the ANC cannot sort out the mess it has created merely by recalling the president: "The ANC can't come now and offer a [sacrificial] lamb of Jacob Zuma and think it will absolve them of all their sins."
On Tuesday, Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba told the host of CNN's Quest Means Business, Bianna Golodryga, that the president was due to address the nation at 10am on Wednesday morning, and that the ANC will know which course of action to take after that.
If Zuma does not announce his resignation, the ANC will take steps against him in Parliament, Gigaba said. However, while some sources claimed that Zuma was given an instruction to resign as president within 48 hours, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashula insisted the president had been given no deadline when he announced the recall on Tuesday.
Whether or not the ultimatum did include a deadline, the Wednesday briefing scheduled for 10am did not happen.
The "Zexit" (Zuma exit) saga has intensified as opposition parties and the ANC try to get Zuma recalled or convince him to resign.
Now, with an alleged deadline for Zuma's resignation passed, South Africans await the next developments.