JOHANNESBURG: Listening to 702 on my way there, a few callers said that they opposed Zuma’s actions and wanted him to be removed, but felt that the white Democratic Alliance supporters could rather protest without them. Cape Town has always been controlled by the DA.
By the government’s official estimate, 10,000 demonstrated in Johannesburg, as many as 8,000 in Durban, and 15,000 in Pretoria, along with smaller numbers in other towns and cities. “Four protesters sustained minor injuries”, Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesman Wayne Minaar said.
“Let us unite against Zuma and his Gupta plan to take the country for his personal profit and corruption”.
Zuma, 74, has faced protests in the past.
President Jacob Zuma sharply criticized multi-racial protests held Friday to express anger over presidential scandals and Zuma’s dismissal of a widely respected finance minister last month. Two of the ANC’s main allies, the South African Communist Party and the biggest trade union federation, COSATU, both called on Zuma to step down. “ANC has not organized any march”.
Parliament will vote on a motion of no confidence in the president on April 18, though he has easily survived previous such votes against him.
“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.
“Be courageous and comradely, confront a comrade if you have got problems with (a) comrade, don’t use comrades who have died as a platform to perpetuate disunity”, he said without mentioning any names. “This could put upward pressure on general government debt, which at an estimated 53% of GDP at end-March 2017 was already slightly above the “BB” category median of 51%”, the statement said.
“Our protests in Pretoria‚ Cape Town and Port Elizabeth drew massive crowds‚ and sent a clear message that civil society is sick and exhausted of his misrule‚ and that he must get out of office. It is about the renewal of the ANC and democracy”, said Gerrald Ray, 56, a business strategist.
Also outside Luthuli House was a group of ANC‚ ANC Youth League and Congress of SA Students (Cosas) members‚ wearing yellow party t-shirts and carrying placards with slogans such as‚ “Hands off our President!”.
