Jacob Zuma

South Africans awoke to a nation without Jacob Zuma as president for the first time in nine years yesterday, after the scandal-plagued head of state reluctantly resigned on orders from the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Jacob Zuma resigned as President of South Africa on Wednesday, heeding orders by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to bring an end to his nine scandal-plagued years in power, Reuters reported. 

Heavily armed South African police raided the luxury home of the Gupta family on Feb. 14 as part of a probe into allegations the three brothers had corrupt links with President Jacob Zuma, who has been ordered by the ruling ANC to quit as head of state.

South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) has formally asked President Jacob Zuma to resign after he refused to do so earlier, reports say, quoted by BBC.

The reported decision to "recall" him followed marathon talks by senior party officials that continued into the early hours of Tuesday.

In a report from the trial of Nafiz Modack, who is accused of racketeering and "shady dealings" around the security business in Cape Town's nightclubs, the South African website News24 said that one of the witnesses, a policeman, said there were "several recorded conversations Modack had, including with someone in Serbia."

The peaceful end of apartheid and transition to democracy in South Africa was one of the 20th century's greatest achievements. A generation later, this troubled country and its ruling party are now headed toward a turning point. In December, the African National Congress (ANC) will choose a successor to current party leader (and South Africa's president) Jacob Zuma.

The BRICS Group leadership meeting began in the Chinese city of Siamon. Leaders of Brazil, India, China, Russia and South Africa have gathered in the first plenary session, TASS reports.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and African Union Commission Chair Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma have signed a memorandum of economic cooperation.

The document, signed in Belgrade, refers to cooperation between the Serbian government and the African Union Commission.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide and war crimes, fled from an African Union summit meeting last Monday before the conference ended. The South African High Court was going to order him arrested and handed over to the ICC, but the South African government let him fly out of a military airport near Pretoria.

A South African court issued a temporary ban on Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir leaving the country on June 14 after the International Criminal Court called for him to be arrested at a summit in Johannesburg.