South Africa's Zuma ready to quit if conditions met says news service
Jacob Zuma
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africaâs ruling African National Congress party on Tuesday put off a key meeting due to discuss President Jacob Zumaâs future later this week  while an online news service quoted sources saying he was ready to quit if certain conditions were met.
 Zuma  has been in a weakened position since  he  was replaced as leader of the ANC by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in December.  Zuma  no longer holds a top position in the party.
But the scheduled meeting of the National Executive Committee  which has the power to demand that  Zuma  step down  was suddenly moved to the weekend of Feb. 17.
The party has faced uncertainty over how its dual power structure will function  after Ramaphosa took the reins of the party with  Zuma  remaining as head of state. Zumaâs tenure officially runs until mid-2019.
Then  Times Live  an online news service  issued a report citing sources saying  Zuma  would resign as soon as a list of preconditions has been finalised in a deal struck with Ramaphosa.
Magashule  who attended the meeting between the two leaders  would not confirm whether  Zuma  had agreed to resign  although other ANC leaders said the agreed deal would see  Zuma  âgo in a dignified wayâ  Times Live said.
 Zuma  has been South Africaâs most controversial president since the end of white minority rule in 1994  enwrapped in scandal during a tumultuous nine years in power.
 He  has faced several allegations of corruption. Some within the ANC and the opposition say the Gupta family  friends of  Zuma   have used their links with the president to win work with the state. The Guptas and  Zuma  have denied any wrongdoing.
 He  waved to reporters after meeting Ramaphosa at the presidentâs office in Cape Town  where the president also chaired routine meetings   his  spokesman said.
Members of the media are seen behind a bust of Nelson Mandela outside Parliament after it was announced that the State of the Nation address  due to be delivered by  President Jacob Zuma   has been postponed  in Cape Town  South Africa  February 6  2018. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham
In a statement  the presidency denied claims by the South African Communist Party  a key ally of the ruling party  that  Zuma  was preparing to fire Ramaphosa as deputy president and replace  him  with ex-wife  Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
Facing a no-confidence motion in parliament set for Feb. 22   Zuma  has survived several attempts to oust  him  in the past. But this time around a significant part of the ANC wants  him  to step down well before  his  second term ends mid next year.
The opposition parties had demanded that the speech be postponed until  Zuma  was removed from the leadership.
The rand  which has tended to strengthen on signs that  Zuma  could step down before  his  second term as president ends next year  was firmer on Tuesday.
The ANCâs top six most powerful officials met  Zuma  late on Sunday at  his  official residence in Pretoria. There was no announcement of the outcome though sources said  he  had refused a demand to go.
 Zuma  has also resisted a call to go by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini  the influential head of South Africaâs biggest ethnic group in the presidentâs home province of KwaZulu-Natal  according to BusinessDay newspaper.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africaâs ruling African National Congress party on Tuesday put off a key meeting due to discuss President Jacob Zumaâs future later this week  while an online news service quoted sources saying he was ready to quit if certain conditions were met.
 Zuma  has been in a weakened position since  he  was replaced as leader of the ANC by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in December.  Zuma  no longer holds a top position in the party.
But the scheduled meeting of the National Executive Committee  which has the power to demand that  Zuma  step down  was suddenly moved to the weekend of Feb. 17.
The party has faced uncertainty over how its dual power structure will function  after Ramaphosa took the reins of the party with  Zuma  remaining as head of state. Zumaâs tenure officially runs until mid-2019.
Then  Times Live  an online news service  issued a report citing sources saying  Zuma  would resign as soon as a list of preconditions has been finalised in a deal struck with Ramaphosa.
Magashule  who attended the meeting between the two leaders  would not confirm whether  Zuma  had agreed to resign  although other ANC leaders said the agreed deal would see  Zuma  âgo in a dignified wayâ  Times Live said.
 Zuma  has been South Africaâs most controversial president since the end of white minority rule in 1994  enwrapped in scandal during a tumultuous nine years in power.
 He  has faced several allegations of corruption. Some within the ANC and the opposition say the Gupta family  friends of  Zuma   have used their links with the president to win work with the state. The Guptas and  Zuma  have denied any wrongdoing.
 He  waved to reporters after meeting Ramaphosa at the presidentâs office in Cape Town  where the president also chaired routine meetings   his  spokesman said.
Members of the media are seen behind a bust of Nelson Mandela outside Parliament after it was announced that the State of the Nation address  due to be delivered by  [TGT] has been postponed  in Cape Town  South Africa  February 6  2018. REUTERS/Sumaya Hisham
In a statement  the presidency denied claims by the South African Communist Party  a key ally of the ruling party  that   [TGT] was preparing to fire Ramaphosa as deputy president and replace   [TGT]   with ex-wife  Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
Facing a no-confidence motion in parliament set for Feb. 22    [TGT] has survived several attempts to oust   [TGT]   in the past. But this time around a significant part of the ANC wants   [TGT]   to step down well before   [TGT]   second term ends mid next year.
The opposition parties had demanded that the speech be postponed until   [TGT] was removed from the leadership.
The rand  which has tended to strengthen on signs that  Zuma  could step down before  his  second term as president ends next year  was firmer on Tuesday.
The ANCâs top six most powerful officials met  Zuma  late on Sunday at  his  official residence in Pretoria. There was no announcement of the outcome though sources said  he  had refused a demand to go.
  [TGT] has also resisted a call to go by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini  the influential head of South Africaâs biggest ethnic group in the presidentâs home province of KwaZulu-Natal  according to BusinessDay newspaper.