South African President Zuma survives no-confidence vote

South African President Jacob Zuma survived a no-confidence motion in parliament

South African President Jacob Zuma survived another attempt in parliament to remove him from office on Tuesday.

Zuma, who came into power in 2009, secured 198 votes to the opposition 177 in a no-confidence motion. Some members of his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party voted in favour of the opposition while there were nine abstentions in total.

"They are pumping propaganda through the media that the ANC is no longer supported by the people. It is their own imagination," an euphoric Zuma told a cheering crowd outside parliament in Cape Town after the result was announced.

Zuma’s eight years in office have been rocked with allegations of corruption. Yesterday’s vote marked the ninth no-confidence vote that the South African President has survived.

Zuma, 75, has been at the centre of controversy for years. Last year the Constitutional Court ordered Zuma to pay back millions of dollars in public funds he had spent on the refurbishment of his private home.

A corruption report released late October by the public protector continue to mount pressure on the government after it alleged the widespread corruption at the highest levels of the South African government.

South Africa's rand weakened nearly 1.5 percent immediately after the news of Zuma's victory.