Ruling party asks South African president to resign

South Africa’s ruling party demanded Tuesday that President Jacob Zuma leave office as soon as possible. Corruption scandals have engulfed Zuma, who took office in 2009. Prosecutors have accused him of using millions of dollars in state funds to benefit his family and friends. Zuma’s reputation has given a black eye to the African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela that has led South Africa since apartheid ended in 2004. Now the party wants Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to take over for Zuma, but Zuma hasn’t said whether he will leave office amicably. He agreed earlier to resign in a few months, but the ANC asked him Tuesday to step down at once. There’s no deadline for his resignation, though, meaning the political crisis could continue to drag on.