Opposition parties unite against Zuma

“We tell Parliament today that you have got an opportunity to take this country forward or backward or we will deal with the pain of removing President Jacob Zuma.

“It will be uncomfortable but it is pain worth going through if we are to take this country forward,” said Wayne Duvenage of OUTA (Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse) when he addressed the multi-party crowd that converged outside Parliament after a march in the Cape Town CBD in support of the no confidence vote against President Zuma.

Following a similar proceeding the previous day by the United Behind Movement led by Mcebisi Jonas, the former Deputy Finance Minister, the more than 10,000 marchers from the ACDP, Cope, DA, EFF, and UDM, trade unions and Save South Africa declared that they will continue to mobilise until they get rid of the head of state.

The motion was the eighth effort by opposition parties to dislodge President Zuma from power.

“Voetsek, voetsek…we do not want thieves. Phantsi nge Guptas, Zuma must go,” chanted activists as they led the placard and banner-waving crowd from Kaizergracht to Parliament. At a safe distance away at the Grand Parade, a small crowd of ANC supporters danced and held small boards declaring #Zuma Must Stay.

Duvenage elaborated that President Zuma has trashed South Africa.

“Jacob Zuma is man without a plan to deal with corruption. He is a man who removed good political leaders and politicians. He put his own stooges in place to trash this country.

“We should not be having the current high unemployment rate, the failing education and collapsing health systems or dealing with the crisis we have today.

“He recently said, If I am not told what I have done wrong, how can I correct my mistake?

“What a stooge,” he moaned.

Protestors from opposition parties (mostly DA in this picture) march to Parliament. Pic by Mandla Mnyakama

Mmusi Maimane, the DA leader described President Zuma as a person who works as a tsotsi, who has sold us out to the Guptas.

“We have tabled this motion because we want to place South Africa ahead of the Guptas and Zuma, and bring change that delivers jobs and a future for our people.

“Times are tough and we are all fed up with him. It’s the time for change.

“Until we have removed Zuma then our work is done.

“It’s high time that Zuma must go,” concluded Maimane, questioning how one man can hold the livelihoods of 58-million people to ransom for sheer self interest.

Protestors from opposition parties (mostly EFF in this picture) march to Parliament. Pic by Mandla Mnyakama

Julius Malema, the EFF leader assured that even if they failed to remove Zuma with the secret ballot they will still deal with him in the Constitutional Court.

“[Zuma has]still got an impeachment case to answer.

“We still have a criminal case against him, he will never have a peaceful sleep.

“The only time he will do so [have a peaceful sleep] is when he resigns and goes back to Nkandla, and look after the cattle,” said Malema

He said ANC Parliamentarians will remain fellow criminals with the President and no longer be regarded as honourable members if they still supported him in the secret ballot.

Zwelinzima Vavi, the SAFTU (South African Federation of Trade Unions) leader condemned Zuma for looting the country’s resources and making it “a banana republic for a very cheap plate of curry from a private Saxonwold family.”

Narend Singh from the IFP warned that South Africa was not for sale to the highest bidder.

“We want to stop corruption in our country. And they say fish rot from the head so let’s remove the head so that our country can progress with a growing economy,” said Singh.