What a difference eight hours makes! Or was Jacob Zuma’s late-night resignation on Wednesday predictable? His interview with the public broadcaster’s Mzwandile Mbetshe earlier in the day suggested that he’d rather face a vote of no confidence than resigning voluntarily. In hindsight, however, the afternoon interview appears to have been necessary, paving the way for the resignation. The interview also signaled that his resignation might not mean the end of this saga.
For starters, Mbetshe’s interview was quite insightful, especially because, and correctly so, he allowed Zuma to express his thoughts and emotions. Zuma saw the interview as a way to influence how the public should see his resignation. His merely reading his resignation speech on television, as he did on Wednesday night, created an impression of a meek figure being hounded out of office. That goes against everything Zuma believes about himself.
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