How Zuma Lost His Job as South Africa’s President

South African President Jacob Zuma clung to power through scandal after scandal and repeated attempts by opposition parties to remove him. He finally quit on Feb. 14 under threat of being voted out by the ruling African National Congress. Cyril Ramaphosa’s election as the party’s new leader on Dec. 18 set the stage for state power to change hands more than a year before Zuma’s second term was due to end.

The balance of power within the ANC’s all-powerful National Executive Committee shifted when Ramaphosa beat Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Zuma’s ex-wife and favored successor, in the party leadership election. The new six top leaders have been trying to persuade Zuma to step down since Jan. 30, to no avail.