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President Cyril Ramaphosa has been given until 9am on 18 July to resign by the MK party or face a motion of no confidence.
President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: GCIS
uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party has handed a resignation ultimatum to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The party listed a range of actions that they would take should the president not step down by the end of the work week.
The demand comes in the wake of Ramaphosa’s response to the crisis plaguing the nation’s security cluster.
Motion of no confidence
MK party confirmed on Wednesday morning that Ramaphosa had until Friday morning to tender his resignation or face several repercussions.
“The MK party has formally delivered a letter of demand to Cyril Ramaphosa, calling on him to resign from office by 9am on 18 July in honour of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the founding Commander-in-Chief of uMkhonto weSizwe,” stated party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
Mandela Day is observed annually on 18 July.
“Should Ramaphosa fail to heed this call, the MK Party will pursue a range of lawful and peaceful actions,” he added.
Among the threatened actions instituted by the MK party, Ramaphosa should ignore the deadline, including a motion of no confidence, nationwide mass action and constitutional litigation.
Ndhlela said the accusations by KZN police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi exposed the shortcomings of the government of national unity (GNU).
“The MK Party calls on Cyril Ramaphosa and the GNU to respect the voice of the people before irreparable damage is done to South Africa’s democratic institutions,” he stated.
‘Coup d’etat’
Since Sunday, Ramaphosa has placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and appointed two acting police ministers in the space of four days.
The president appointed Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister before installing Minister of Mineral Resources Gwede Mantashe as acting police minister for the next two weeks until Cachalia takes office.
The MK party’s threat comes a day after Minister in The Presidency, Khubudzo Ntshavheni, warned about threats uncovered by the State Security Agency (SSA).
“There is a potential risk of a coup d’état. We have identified it and put measures in place to mitigate against it,” Ntshavheni stated on Tuesday.
NOW READ: Are we safe? Ntshavheni says security cluster detected potential risks of a coup [VIDEO]
