KNIVES OUT FOR ZUMA
UNITED FRONT: OPPOSITION PARTIES MOBILISE AGAINST PRESIDENT ZUMA
In an atmosphere of simmering discontent around the country, key members of many opposition parties yesterday met in a show of unity to discuss ways to remove Jacob Zuma. A national day of action is being arranged, with a march on the Union Buildings, and the parties are in agreement on a vote of no confidence in the president.
National day of action planned, vote of no confidence has many backers.
Anational day of action to the Union Buildings, initiated by the country’s opposition parties, could potentially take place next Wednesday, as political parties unite against President Jacob Zuma.
The latest development was sparked by Zuma’s firing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas as part of a Cabinet reshuffle.
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane announced next week’s action plan, amid growing calls for Zuma to step down.
Opposition parties, including the DA, EFF, Cope, United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), met yesterday to discuss the state of affairs in the country, as well as to map the way forward following the unpopular Cabinet reshuffle.
Addressing the media in Johannesburg, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said all the involved parties agreed they would start a mobilisation process with their different structures across the country for the national day of action.
“We are planning to have a mass day of action, collectively, and the actions that have already been put on the table will continue. But with this particular one, we say all parties will come together to take it forward.
“We will also be engaging civil society formations and other political parties in order to support the people’s national day of action so that we are ultimately united to save South Africa in the short term,” said Maimane.
He said the day of action could potentially take place next week on Wednesday, where all parties will speak in one voice to say “Zuma must remove himself” from the Union Buildings, failing which he will be pushed, using a democratic process.
He emphasised the President cannot hold the country hostage.
Regarding the motion of no confidence in the President, Maimane said all opposition parties are fully behind it and again called for Speaker Baleka Mbete to reconvene the house for a special sitting, so that the matter can be debated and voted on.
“The DA and the EFF already asked for the matter to be debated urgently and we have also asked for the UDM to submit a request.
“We expect an urgent answer from the Speaker about the progress made in scheduling the motion and should we not be satisfied with her response, court action will continue, supported by opposition parties.
“I reiterate that this motion is not about the removal of the ANC, because the ANC was voted for by the people of this country through a democratic process all of us respect. But what we are saying is that in the short term we are working on removing Jacob Zuma,” he said.
EFF national chairman Dali Mpofu said half of the people who packed the hall where Ahmed Kathrada’s memorial service was held last weekend, were ANC members who chanted “Zuma must fall”.
“If the ANC vote that they still have confidence in Zuma, who defied the secretary-general of the ANC, so be it, but they must come out in the open.
“If you vote for Zuma, who are you voting for because the ANC has already spoken out against their president … so are you voting for the Guptas?” Mpofu asked.
Cope leader Mosioua Lekota said Zuma completely ignored the Constitution.
“Zuma’s track record has always been about undermining the Constitution and now our country is in a crisis. The only thing that has divided the ANC so far is that he (Zuma) has shown contempt to his own party… he is a dictator who follows the Guptas,” he said. –
He is a dictator who follows the Guptas