ANC branches join anti-Zuma march in Bloemfontein

29 April 2016

Bloemfontein – Members from several local ANC branches joined a small group of anti-Zuma marchers in Bloemfontein on Friday.

"In 2007, when other ANC comrades said Zuma must be the president, my region never supported him, and now we have been proven right," said one marcher, Thokozile Mokoenanyana.

She was referring to the ANC’s elective conference in Polokwane in December 2007, where Zuma was elected party president, defeating Thabo Mbeki.

Mokoenanyana said she was an ANC regional working committee member and a former chairperson of the party’s Moteo region in Bloemfontein.

"The ANC is bleeding. The fact that Comrade [Ahmed] Kathrada spoke outside the ANC must tell you that there is a problem. We saw this coming in 2007, we knew he was coming with problems."

Other marchers included members of the Congress of the People, the Economic Freedom Fighters, religious groups, and the National Unemployment Voters Organisation. 

'We are tired of being led by a tyrant' While the march was mainly about Zuma's removal, people also criticised Free State Premier Ace Magashule.  

"We are tired of being led by a tyrant of Ace Magashule. We are aware that he supports Zuma, and always says Zuma is right," said Stan Molosioa, one of the march organisers. 

"Zuma has violated the Constitution, not only with the Nkandla matter, but with a lot of things. As it is now, a lot of people don't want to vote. Magashule has taken all the powers and no one has a say, even the MECs can't say anything," he said.  

There have been widespread calls for Zuma to resign following the Constitutional Court ruling that he had violated the Constitution when he did not comply with Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's remedial action regarding payment for the non-security upgrades to his Nkandla homestead.

Earlier on Friday, the High Court in Pretoria found that former National Prosecuting Authority head Mokotedi Mpshe’s decision in April 2009 to drop corruption charges against Zuma was irrational.

Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba said Zuma should face the charges.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.