South African President Jacob Zuma attends closing of the country's ruling party African National Congress (ANC)'s national conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, Dec. 21, 2017. (Xinhua/David Naicker)
JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday dismissed media reports that President Jacob Zuma will resign on Saturday as "inaccurate and misleading."
"Whilst the ANC does not usually comment on caucus discussions because they are confidential internal matters of the ANC, we want to distance ourselves from reports that ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly told caucus that President Zuma will resign on Saturday and that he will not be granted immunity," The office of the ANC chief whip said in a statement.
Earlier on Thursday, South African media reported that Ramaphosa told a parliamentary caucus that Zuma's immunity is not party of the discussion.
The reports come after Ramaphosa on Wednesday asked South Africans to remain calm while they discuss pertinent issues with President Zuma.
Ramaphosa said progress has been made in their discussion with Zuma. Some in the ANC have asked Zuma to step down.
The ANC chief whip said the media reports are meant to disturb the constructive engagement currently in progress.
"These reports are false and the intention behind them is to negatively disturb the fruitful and constructive engagement between the president of the ANC and the president of the country around the question of transition," the statement said.
"The ANC in Parliament respects the ongoing engagement and eagerly awaits its imminent conclusion," it said.
The ruling party is on record as saying they want to prevent two centers of power in the party and government.
Zuma is the country's president while Ramaphosa is the ANC president.
