South Africa's ANC decides to remove Zuma as head of state

Reuters
President of South Africa Jacob Zuma gestures to his supporters at the 54th National Conference of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa December 16, 2017. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

PRETORIA/JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's African National Congress party executive committee has decided to "recall" or remove President Jacob Zuma as head of state, a senior ANC source told Reuters on Tuesday, after a 13-hour meeting of the party's top leadership.

Since Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected party leader in December, Zuma has faced mounting calls from his party to end his scandal-plagued second term due to run out mid-2019.

The party's executive committee has the authority to order Zuma to step down as head of state, although there is domestic media speculation that he might yet refuse.

(Reporting by Alex Winning and James Macharia; Editing by Sandra Maler)