Pretoria 5 Feb (ANA) - South Africa's President Jacob Zuma has defied his party and refused to step down, according to media reports. He and senior members of the African National Congress (ANC) held talks on Sunday but no details of their meeting have been released. Facing corruption allegations, Mr Zuma was replaced as ANC leader in December.

 

Party leaders, who may be trying to oust Mr Zuma before his State of the Nation address later this week, will hold an emergency meeting on Monday. Julius Malema, an opposition leader and former ANC member, said on Twitter that Mr Zuma had been asked to stand down but had refused.

 

Mr Zuma, who spent time in prison for his part in the fight against apartheid, is most of the way through his second - and last - term as president. Under his rule the civil service has expanded, HIV/Aids rates have decreased, and his plans for development have won support across the political spectrum. But the Zuma presidency has been overshadowed by allegations of corruption and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, was elected the leader of the ANC party in South Africa in December on an anti-corruption platform.(ANA)

FA/ANA/5 February 2018---------