President Jacob Zuma
Photo by: Duane Daws
Corruption Watch, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), church organisations and trade unions will on Wednesday map a way forward on plans to remove President Jacob Zuma from office after an impeachment motion by political parties failed in Parliament.
The organisations, which included Anglican Church of SA, the Evangelical Alliance, the SA Christian Leadership Initiative, the United Front, trade unions and artists’ coalition held an urgent meeting on Tuesday night and discussed “the growing political and economic crisis that faces South Africa.”
“People are feeling pain, anger and urgency is growing. Ever larger numbers of people and organisations join the clamour to insist that Jacob Zuma resign or be removed by the ANC,” the organisations said in a joint statement.
“Political parties have failed. Persuasion and appeal has failed. The courts have spoken … now people will have to reclaim our hard won democracy from those who defile it for self-interest.”
The coalition said by voting against impeaching Zuma, MPs dishonoured the constitution and disappointed millions of people.
“This means our country will continue to lurch from crisis to crisis. Clearly the National Assembly has yet to understand the Constitutional Court’s pronouncements on the separation of powers and its primary duty to defend and advance the constitution.”
The organisations said they will pronounce on plans for nation wide protests and social mobilisation to remove Zuma.
The African National Congress has accepted Zuma’s apology on the matter and have called for “forgiveness”. The ruling party said it remains behind Zuma and has rejected calls for his removal.