Members of the ANC’s national executive committee are expected to descend on KZN to explain their decision to recall President Jacob Zuma to regional party members.

The province is a traditional foothold of support for Zuma and has been a point of disunity in the ruling party. Zuma formally tendered his resignation to the speaker of the national assembly‚ Baleka Mbete‚ on Thursday morning after a late night broadcast to the nation on Wednesday.

Mike Mabuyakhulu‚ the convenor of the ANC’s interim leadership structure in the province - established by the ANC's Top Six last month after it suspended the provincial executive committee - said that that an engagement with their branches was imperative.

“We will be deploying members of the provincial interim team along with members of the NEC over the weekend. They will be explaining the reasons for the recall‚” he said. “It is appropriate that as the ANC we explain to our own members in our own structures the reasons why the president was recalled.”

Mabuyakhulu said that clarity on the move was critical‚ for members of the ANC but also for members of the public.

Meanwhile Durban-based social cohesion forum the Active Citizens Movement (ACM) - which once accused President Jacob Zuma of taking the country on a “dangerous path of instability” - has hailed his resignation as a "victory for democracy".

“Jacob Zuma was president of the country as well as the ANC so it is important to convey this message. We think the NEC has applied itself fully and it is appropriate for the members to support it‚” it said. President Jacob Zuma is out‚ “but we continue to purse those who looted our state coffers”.

It said in a statement on Thursday that robust civil society activism had made it possible “to remove an errant president".

The ACM lambasted Zuma’s cabinet reshuffle in October last year‚ which had described as the president’s attempt to serve his personal interests to enrich himself‚ his family and friends.

On Zuma’s exit‚ the ACM said: “Our work as civil society is far from concluded. We will continue to be ever vigilant and hold government to account‚ and ensure we never again allow the rot to set it until it becomes too late. We shall be closely monitoring the situation and shall hold the incoming president to his promise.

“We encourage government to continue to pursue those who have looted our state coffers‚ wherever they are‚ and to bring them to justice‚” the ACM added.