The time for President Jacob Zuma to step down has arrived, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Tuesday.
Cosatu is a member of the tripartite alliance that includes the African National Congress (ANC) and South African Communist Party (SACP).
“Cosatu no longer believes that the president is the right person to unite and lead the movement, the alliance and the country,” Cosatu General Secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali told a press conference.
He said that although they believe he has contributed greatly to the country, he should step aside.
“We think that after all his undeniable contribution to both the movement and government, the time has arrived for his to step and allow the country to be led by new collective at government level. We no longer believe [in] his leadership ability,” said Ntshalintshali.
Ntshalintshali said they will be communicating their decision to the ANC.
The announcement comes just days after SACP called on ANC members of parliament to not wait for the opposition’s motion of no confidence but to go ahead and raise the issue of removing Zuma from office.
Zuma’s decision to reshuffle his cabinet ministers and deputy ministers has come under attack not only from opposition parties but from the ruling party’s leaders.
Members of the ANC top 6 including deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, secretary general Gwede Mantashe and treasurer general Zweli Mkhize have all criticised Zuma citing that there was no consultation on the decision to reshuffle.
“The CEC will also be demanding both government and the president to give us an explanation as why we were not consulted as an alliance partner and what led to the [abandonment] of such long standing tradition,” Ntshalintshali added.
“We are currently experiencing a period of deep division within the ANC, and we believe that the president’s lack of constructive engagement has added such division which impacts negatively to government. He also failed to deal with some of the most incompetent ministers in his cabinet proving that this cabinet reshuffle was not based on merit but on a political loyalty.” – Sowetan
People should just stop day dreaming. Msholozi is going nowhere – he has a mission to ensure his Radical Transformation of the SA economy, between now and 2019 – so he says.
Its confirmed; the ANC caucus in Parliament has just advised that all ANC Parliamentarians will toe the ANC line, and a secret ballot will not be allowed. The proposed marches are a waste of time!!