United against Zuma

‘THE LONGER HE STAYS THE MORE DAMAGE HE WILL DO’ New organisation is conglomerate of political parties, civil bodies and citizens

The newly formed civil organisation, the Freedom Movement, wants President Jacob Zuma removed from office before 2019. “He must go now. We believe the longer he stays in office, the more damage he will do,” academic and founder Prince Mashele told The Citizen.

“We have seen his irresponsible decisions and it appears to us that he is now acting with the knowledge his term is ending, so he wants to make hay while the sun shines. We want to stop him because he can still do more damage,” Mashele said.

The movement is a conglomerate of political parties, civil organisations and ordinary citizens and forms a collective focal point for the rising tide of anti-Zuma sentiment.

At the launch with Mashele yesterday were Dennis George, general secretary of the Federation of Unions of South Africa, Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane, United Democratic Movement ( UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa, Ben Theron from the Organisation Against Tax Abuse, Giet Khoza of the National Religious Council and environmental human rights activist Catherine Constantinides.

The movement’s statement said “a crisis of a political leadership” had “allowed our state to be hijacked by corrupt interests at the expense of needs and aspirations of the poor, the marginalised and patriotic South Africans”.

Nelson Mandela’s former personal assistant, Zelda la Grange, said the movement was a united coalition and had nothing to do with party politics.

“I’m 100% behind them. We all feel, what can we do? This is what I can do,” Le Grange said in one of her rare demonstrations of public support for a movement.

“The worst thing we can do as South Africans is get used to the status quo of corruption and mismanagement. Ordinary South Africans will have this outlet of the Freedom Movement,” she said.

“You don’t have to belong to any political party or wear a t-shirt or whatever to be there. It’s just for ordinary people to join a movement and say, this is enough.”

La Grange said it was difficult to say what Mandela would have said or felt about her taking part in the organisation. “However, I can learn from his example that if you are principled and you have certain morals and values and rules that you live by, and are willing to stand up for them, then you must stand up.”

The movement is also supported by Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

“In principle, Aunt Leah (Tutu, his wife) and I are in support of a united coalition calling on all South Africans to join the event on April 27,” Tutu said in a statement.

“It is important that we unite as South Africans to bring an end to state capture and that we further the values of our democratic society by speaking out against any and all kinds of injustice in our society. Let’s work together in the interest of a better life for all our people.”

The event Tutu was referring to is a gathering at Freedom Park, Pretoria, later this month. There will also be a large-scale protest outside parliament when the motion of no confidence is debated.

Holomisa hoped the directions from the Constitutional Court, with regard to the UDM’s application to force a secret ballot in parliament, would be finalised by today. –

We have seen his irresponsible decisions and it appears to us that he is now acting with the knowledge his term is ending, so he wants to make hay while the sun shines. Prince Mashele Political scientist and founder of the Freedom Movement