Change of leadership now vital

THE MOST divisive element in South Africa today is President Jacob Zuma himself, revealing that the rule of law is not part of who he is, and that constitutionalism is an unknown concept.

The president has used every trick in the book – from apartheid, colonialism, Jan van Riebeeck, Redvers Buller, Piet Pompies and the tooth fairy – to divert attention from the real problems confronting South Africa.

As a last resort he has claimed that the anti-Zuma marches were motivated by racism. The protesters were from all colours, creeds and backgrounds. His utterly ridiculous statement that some protesters depicted blacks as baboons is absolute balderdash. If someone had held up such a placard, he/ she would immediately have been removed. Why has he not reported this to the HRC (Human Rights Commission) for investigation?

At his birthday bash, in poverty-stricken Kliptown, he made another inane statement: “People march, but they don’t know why.”

Really, Mr President! Then he contradicts this by saying, “They have no reason to say why I must go”. This shows that the president has no idea what is going on around him, and no understanding of the no-confidence vote on the horizon. The reasons are too many. Grandiosity is his problem. A change of government has become vital or we will become just another African country “away from the Western illusions of exceptionalism” – like the devastated countries to the north of us. John R Whitlock