Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
‘Zuma must go’ is the cry as South Africans rally
Thousands unite in protest across the country, calling for president to quit
TENS of thousands of protesters, people from all walks of life, civil organisations and political formations – and even die- hard ANC supporters – yesterday called on President Jacob Zuma to step down, or be removed from office.
Citizens took to the streets of Cape Town and marched from Keizersgracht, the popular meeting place for Cape Town marches, to the gates of Parliament where they were met by thousands more.
The number of South African flags waved in the air rivalled that of patriots attending World Cup football games.
Many also created eye-catching posters – from just a few words scribbled on a page, to a cardboard cut-out of a fist reading “Phuma Zuma”.
“Hands off Treasury,” read a placard held up by a protester in Plein Street, referring to Zuma’s axing of Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas from the helm of the finance ministry last week in a cabinet reshuffle that has firmed calls for him to quit.
“We want a president who cares about Africans and Zuma does not,” said Khayalethu Tyalasha from Maitland, who wore a black T-shirt with the slogan “Zuma must fall”.
EFF supporters held placards bearing the face of Atul Gupta, with the words “Not my president”.
One of the men carrying the placard, EFF member Tlhabanelo Diholo, said: “We are here to say no to kleptocracy and constitutional delinquency.”
Families came out, joined by blue- collar workers and business people as well as stayat-home moms and students.
They danced to protest songs in the street and blew vuvuzelas. They walked down streets cordoned off by police and blocked traffic where police weren’t present. A handful of pro-Zuma supporters, wearing ANC T-shirts, made their way to Parliament chanting “Zuma must rise”, but their chants were drowned out by the thousands who shouted “Zuma must go”.
Motorists hooted in support of the march as the crowd, estimated at between 10 000 and 15 000, gathered outside Parliament.
“It’s not simply a question of his removal. It is about the renewal of the ANC and democracy,” said Gerrald Ray, 56, a business strategist.
Sibusiso Feni, who moved to Cape Town from the Eastern Cape recently, said he loved the ANC and would remain an ardent supporter of the movement, but was frustrated by the Zuma administration. Human chains were formed in suburbs around the Western Cape, where hundreds of of protesters held hands or carried placards, which read: “Zuma must go, Rise SA rise”, “Zuma just go, save our country”, and “Impeach the leach, this president does not count”, among others.
South Africans were vocal about their desire to see Zuma go. Renier Smith from Strand said: “Zuma doesn’t have power over what people feel. The only power he has is the power he has bought at the expense of the country.”
Grace Poole of Somerset West added: “We need to reach out to one another, not just today but every day to fight for the upliftment of this country.”
Zolani Nojaholo said: “Zuma stepping down will mean a brighter future for this country, we as young people may get better job opportunities and a real better life for all.”
Amina Sands from Mitchells Plain said that “Zuma’s stepping down will mean a better future for all South Africans and not just his Gupta friends”.
Pensioner Alida Lee from Claremont, picketing in the anti-Zuma protest, stood at a traffic light with her poster which read: “If my people humble themselves and pray… I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land.” She added: “We want the country to be better and Zuma to step down.”
Leigh-Ann Johnson and her colleagues joined the CBD protest during their lunch break. She said: “We are protesting against Zuma. We want (the) country to stand together under honest leadership.”
Silvertown residents gathered on Klipfontein Road. They were joined by staff of Erica Old Age Home, who gave up their lunch break to join the picket.
The Gatesville CBD, which shuts down every Friday afternoon for mosque, came alive after 2pm as workers and residents waved their placards at passing motorists. Motorists hooted and cheered as the protesting crowd grew throughout the afternoon. Western Cape DA leader Bonginkosi Madikizela applauded the “peaceful” manner in which protesters in the province conducted themselves.
He said the protest was a clear indication that Zuma no longer enjoyed the support of the majority of people in the country.
“If he was a leader in touch with people on the ground and understood the catastrophic consequences of his decisions, he would do the honourable thing and resign,” Madikizela said.
“We have to keep on putting pressure on Zuma because if we don’t, the implications are far-reaching for this country, “he added.
Khusela Sangoni, the ANC’s acting spokesperson in the Western Cape, said while the party respected people’s right to protest, “not all of their grievances are valid”.
Two hours after the protests had started, people started dispersing peacefully from the city centre. By then, many businesses in and around the CBD had closed, while others had not opened at all, prompted by fears of violence and looting
As the protesters made their way out of the CBD, they carried on chanting. Shouts of “Zuma must fall” reverberated through the city. A police officer was overheard telling a colleague it was the biggest march in the city since 1999. Four people were injured in Johannesburg after police “fired rubber bullets at protesters who were attacking other protesters with stones”, Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson Wayne Minaar said.
ANC supporters were trying to breach a cordon separ- ating them from members of the DA.
Two groups of protesters also scuffled outside the Gupta family mansion in Saxonwold and the police presence was beefed up outside the residence to keep anti-Zuma and proZuma protesters apart.
The family’s friendship with the scandal- troubled Zuma has been an issue for years, amid allegations that they have undue influence over the president. Both Zuma and the Guptas have denied any wrongdoing. Violence, however, was not seen anywhere else in the country.
Mmusi Maimane, leader of the DA, held a rally of more than 10 000 a few streets from the scene of the scuffle.
“Our country is in crisis,” said Maimane, who wore a bullet- proof vest under his shirt after the DA said it had received threats to the protest’s leaders.
“The time to act is now. “We are not a junk country, but we have a junk president and we will remove him so that South Africa can become prosperous.” Zuma’s supporters also gathered to support the president in Johannesburg. About 300 camouflage-clad veterans of Umkhonto we Sizwe ringed Luthuli House, mounting mock parades and singing in support of the president.
Some also danced, waving placards emblazoned with the words: “I’m prepared to die for my ANC” and “Hands off our President”.
“They are free to march freely but not to try and remove a government that was elected democratically,” said Kebby Maphatsoe, the head of the veterans group and also Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans.
“Let them wait for 2019 and we will take them on, but the ones that want to remove it undemocratically, MK will rise up to the occasion.” In Pretoria, Zwelinzima Vavi, the former secretary general of Cosatu, addressed more than 25 000, saying the decision to elect Zuma to a top ANC position was a terrible mistake.
Vavi said: “We made a mistake in elevating.... who was facing 783 charges. The first thing he did was to dissolve the Scorpions and some of us stupidly gave him a round of applause.”
He lambasted Zuma for the financial crisis at the South African Airways and for allowing the Gupta family to get involved at power utility Eskom.
People were mobilised to take a stand against Zuma’s intention to sign a nuclear deal with the Russians because it would be costly for the government and dangerous to society, Vavi added.
“If we allow them your children and your grandchildren and many generations to come would still be paying Russians, Zuma’s friends, until we are mortgaged as a country to Russian and France,” he said.
On a field outside the Union Buildings where protesters gathered, Syriana Maesela, 65, a pensioner carrying a South African flag, said it was ironic that in 1976 she had also marched in protest against the government.
“We are unhappy about his leadership because he does not seem to care about the people. The irony is I did the same thing in 1976 when I was a student. I also marched then,” she said, referring to protests against the apartheid regime.
Social justice activist Mark Heywood called Zuma a puppet of the Guptas and reiterated the call for him to step down. “When Jacob Zuma steps down the people shall rise,” he said. In KwaZulu- Natal, a Zuma stronghold, about 7 000 marched in Durban to demonstrate their distrust of the president.
ANC Youth League supporters also made their way there, having veered from their permitted march route towards the beachfront; the protesters appeared eager to attack their opponents.
Some carried sticks. There were also a couple of sjamboks evident, and supporters sang “Awuleth’umshini wami”, a song popularised by Zuma, which means “bring me my machine gun”. They carried placards supporting the president.
There were, however, no reports of violence.
“We need to unite and fight this corruption,” said Michelle Fortune, 48, a manager. She wore a South African flag bandana.
Last night, eThekwini Municipality said “the two marches held in Durban today were peaceful”.
Durban Chamber of Business president Zeph Ndlovu said the marches had no “notable disruption” on business because many business owners had made arrangements for staff to take leave. About 2 000 protesters made their way to the East London City Hall, where messages of support for those calling for Zuma to resign were read out. They braved rainy weather, singing: “Siphuma imvula isitsho, phuma Zuma (We’re going out while it’s raining, resign Zuma).”
Similar marches took place in Grahamstown, King William’s Town and Queenstown.
East London businesswoman Anne Meyer said: “We can do as much as we can to keep employment, but if the man in charge is not willing to help keep South Africa’s employment, we have got no choice but to support calls for Zuma to go.”
A student from Fort Hare University who did not wish to be named said she supports calls for Zuma to resign because she fears that levels of unemployment are going to be worse in the coming years. As the protests came to an end countrywide, analysts doubted the marches would shake Zuma.
The ANC on Wednesday rejected calls for him to quit and said ANC MPs would vote against a motion of no confidence on April 18.
Analysts said Zuma remains in favour in rural areas, contrasting with his waning popularity in urban quarters, where the ANC suffered significant losses in local government elections last year. – Reports by Chantall Presence, Asanda Sokanyile, Jason Mast, Noni Mokati, Zintle Mahlati, Rapula Moatshe, Sithandiwe Velapi, Reuters and ANA