Johannesburg – Removing President Jacob Zuma will cause economic havoc and could spark widespread violence. That is the view of a barely-known entity calling itself Transform SA. 

The organisation has sent a letter to the ANC’s national executive committee warning them against even debating Zuma’s recall.

The letter, prepared by legal firm Maubane Mphahlele INC, demands assurances that ANC has “no intention to discuss, deliberate or decide on the removal of President Zuma from office”.  

“Any attempt by the NEC or any structure under the control of the ANC to remove President Zuma from office would be unlawful and unconstitutional,” the letter dated January 10 states.

It was served on the ANC just hours before its Wednesday inaugural NEC meeting, that was widely expected to discuss Zuma’s fate. 

However, the matter was not raised during the short meeting and members instead focused on the contents of the January 8 statement to celebrate the party’s 106th birthday in East London.

READ: Zuma survives first Ramaphosa NEC meeting

Putting country in ‘jeopardy’

Transform SA leader Adil Nchabeleng told News24 that the ANC NEC had no powers to oust Zuma as state president, arguing that this power rests with Parliament. 

“They don’t have a mandate from the branches. The president of the country is not elected by the NEC, but is elected by Parliament, so their powers are limited unless they amend the party’s constitution,” Nchabeleng said.

Zuma is facing an uncertain future, after Cyril Ramaphosa became party president at the ANC’s December elective conference.

Some NEC members believe Zuma is on his way out and that his future at the helm of the country is likely to be discussed at another NEC meeting next week. 

Nchabeleng said those who wanted Zuma out, wanted to put the country in “jeopardy”.  

“It is not the great time to create instability, the economy is at the most stable it has ever been. Why would they start again with insinuations of creating another havoc… where you could have a groundswell of violence and instability,” Nchabeleng said. 

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Nchabeleng and another leader of Transform SA, Tshepo Kgadima, are featured regularly on ANN7 as commentators.

He laughed off a question on whether they were being funded by the Gupta family that used to own the channel.

“Just because we appear on ANN7? I wish [I] had links with the Guptas… I have not met any of them, we have not received any cent from them,” he said. 

He said Transform SA was a grassroots organisation made up of professionals representing different communities in need.