South Africa's President May Be Ousted in Party Revolt

The leaders of the African National Congress, South Africa's ruling party, are meeting today to debate whether to force Thabo Mbeki to resign. The country's president has been under fire since a court ruled that the prosecution of Jacob Zuma, Mbeki's archrival and the head of the ANC, was politically motivated. While powerful factions in the ANC want to force Mbeki out, Zuma is said to be cautious, reports the Guardian.

From his AIDS denials to his support for Robert Mugabe, Mbeki has become a tainted figure in South Africa—and the court's accusations of vindictiveness may be the last straw. But Mbeki won't go down without a fight, and with national elections only a few months away, Zuma is anxious not to hurt the party's standing. If Zuma remains opposed to sacking the president, he may face a power struggle against party members eager to see Mbeki go.
(More Jacob Zuma stories.)