The Deputy President of the Congress of the People (COPE) Mbhazima Shilowa has urged the South African people to bring back the dream of 1994.
Speaking to scores of COPE supporters in Khayelitsha, Shilowa said the country's vision of a corruption free, prosperous and united South Africa was floundering.
"We must save our country from the jaws of destruction of the Luthuli House brigade. We must act now whilst we still can. We must say it's not right to be taken for granted. We must do something about the brazen assault on our Constitution and the shameless corrosion of the credibility and solemnity of this countries institutions of democracy. For countries like Zimbabwe - it's not in the hands of the local people anymore," said Shilowa.
He said the ruling party has demonstrated its contempt for the people of South Africa by attacking every credible institution and persons that found fault with the erratic conduct of its public representatives. "We have allowed the ANC to bend the rules - to shield their corrupt leaders from the rule of law. In rare cases where they land up in jail - the party creates a special dispensation for their early release," he said.
He said power must be returned back to the people as it was envisaged by the architects of the Constitution. "South Africa must come first, not the ANC members. The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, not the ANC. We must refuse to be bullied by the ANC."
COPE has called for the direct election of the president, premiers and mayors as this would make them more accountable to the people than to political parties. The ruling party has undermined and interfered with a number of executive decision in pursuance of its narrow political party interests.