Zuma: I will go on ANC’s orders only
• President shrugs off march by opposition parties • Motion of no confidence postponed
President Jacob Zuma played-down the protest march by thousands of people on Wednesday, calling on him to step down, saying he would do so only if the ANC told him to.
He told a birthday celebration hosted for him by the ANC that if it wanted him to go, he would do so, but he would remain an active member of the party.
The president’s comments came as a motion of no confidence in him was postponed indefinitely by Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete and as former ANC chief whip Mathole Motshekga called on the party to hold a special national executive committee (NEC) meeting to discuss calls for the president to step down.
Opposition party leaders led thousands of supporters to the Union Buildings on Wednesday, calling on Zuma to quit.
The EFF’s Dali Mpofu said the protest was not against the ANC, but was a call for its leader to go. This was echoed by the DA on the lawns of the Union Buildings, where the protesters gath- ered after marching from Church Square in Pretoria.
Speaking in isiZulu at his 75th birthday bash in Kliptown, Zuma dismissed the protests, saying the opposition parties were simply doing what opposition parties did.
He said former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki had faced similar attacks. Zuma said when the ANC elected a new leader in December, that leader would face a similar
onslaught in January. “When you attack a snake, you start with the head,” he said.
He also explained his comments on land that met a great deal of criticism inside and outside the ANC.
Reflecting on the past year, the president said it had been a difficult one in which people who had been hailed as heroes, became cowards.
This was a likely reference to the rising tide of opposition against him from within the ANC-led alliance.
Jessie Duarte, the ANC deputy secretary-general was the only top six member to attend the birthday bash.
On Wednesday, Motshekga said that in recent weeks, thousands of people had taken to the streets to voice their opposition to Zuma’s leadership. He said this showed there was serious concern and the NEC should convene to “consider” this based “on its merits”.
He warned that it would be damaging for the ANC if the NEC did not intervene.
The postponement of the motion of no confidence, which was initially set down for next Tuesday, was due to a Constitutional Court bid by the United Democratic Movement (UDM) for a secret ballot to be allowed in the vote.
The DA and the EFF, which brought the motion of no confidence, requested the postponement, pending the outcome of the court case.
On Wednesday, EFF leader Julius Malema dismissed Zuma’s recent allegation that those protesting against him were racist.
“If not wanting Zuma is racism, then we are racists,” Malema told the crowd gathered outside the Union Buildings on Wednesday afternoon.
“We don’t care whether you are white, whether you are Indian, whether you are black. We are here to defend the future of our children.”
Mpofu said that according to police, about 100,000 people had attended the march.
Opposition party leaders held hands as they led their supporters through the streets of the capital city.
DA Gauteng leader John Moodey said the march was an expression of people’s power.
“Zuma and his acolytes said that we are racist. Show me the racists here today — we are patriots,” he said. “We stand united for a united South Africa.”
Congress of the People (Cope) leader Mosiuoa Lekota told the crowd the recent comments about race went against ANC policy.
He was also referring to comments made by Ekurhuleni mayor and Zuma ally Mzwandile Masina, who reportedly warned whites and civil society groups who had called for the president to resign that things might get “very, very rough”.
Speaking in isiXhosa and addressing Zuma, Lekota said the majority of those marching against the president were black and wanted him to go.
“Do what the people of South Africa are asking you to do,” he urged.
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said opposition parties had gathered to send a signal to the ANC that although they respected that the electorate had given the party the mandate to rule, South Africans were concerned that it was “allowing this land of ours to decline under its watch”.
“The powers that be remain unmoved and become defensive when loyal South African citizens raise such points. We must find a vehicle that will provide a safe space for us, irrespective of political affiliation, to hammer out a common vision, binding to all, of how we should address our country’s problems,” he said.
Malema said opposition party leaders proved they had the country’s interests at heart and not petty politics.
“When the state of South Africa is threatened, we put aside our differences, we unite for the purpose of winning back our beautiful country. We must salute these leaders because when we are united, we will never be defeated by an illiterate president,” he said.
Malema urged supporters to organise marches in all provinces and major cities.
ZUMA AND HIS ACOLYTES SAID THAT WE ARE RACIST. SHOW ME THE RACISTS HERE TODAY — WE ARE PATRIOTS