South Africa's ANC wants budget speech to go ahead as planned next Wednesday

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's ruling ANC party said on Wednesday it wanted the reading of the budget to go ahead as scheduled next Wednesday despite the political uncertainty caused by its order to President Jacob Zuma to step down as head of state. The African National Congress chief whip Jackson Mthembu said if political events were to delay the presentation of the budget, the party would ensure that it is delivered not later than the second week of March. (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by James Macharia)