Zuma’s struggle could be ahead

FORMER South African president Jacob Zuma could have resigned after surviving several attempts to impeach him, but the real struggle begins now.

Zuma resigned on Wednesday night, just hours before the ANC would have resorted to a vote of no confidence, and after he had told television viewers earlier that he had done nothing wrong.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa was yesterday sworn in as South Africa’s fifth president after parliament had nominated him unopposed.

In a terse letter seen by The Namibian, Zuma said he was resigning with immediate effect, and that his decision would be communicated to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete.

Over the years, there have been more than six motions of no-confidence against Zuma, but the ANC had stood by him.

Hours after Zuma’s resignation, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Musi Maimane released a statement, saying that he must now face the 783 criminal charges still awaiting him before the courts.

He said there could be no amnesty or immunity for Zuma for causing untold harm to the country.

“We rejoice with all South Africans today as the long, painful decade of Zuma’s presidency finally comes to an end,” Maimane said in the statement.

He furthermore accused Zuma of worsening unemployment and poverty during his term of office.

“On his watch, corruption has been allowed to flourish, to the point of nearly destroying our country and completely capturing the state and the prosecution system,” Maimane stated.

Zuma, he added, had even in his resignation speech refused to take any responsibility for his actions, and for the harm he had caused the country.

“After getting rid of Zuma, the ANC must show serious intent to rid itself of other corrupt individuals, like DD Mabuza, Ace Magashule, Pule Mabe and many others,” he charged.

According to Maimane, the country now looks to Ramaphosa to save it from a man that he and the ANC protected and supported. What happened with Zuma must never be allowed to happen again, he said.

The ANC Women’s League also said after Zuma, the party should continue with its socio-economic transformation agenda of the country to redress the injustices of the past, which perpetuate white supremacy and white arrogance in South Africa.

Zuma’s family said they will support Ramaphosa, and urged those calling for a boycott of the 2019 election in protest to stop such actions.

“Our message to the ANC leadership and membership, in general, is that we have a responsibility to preserve the legacy of the heroes and heroines who came before us,” the family said in a statement yesterday.

The family said the ANC was created to unite all the people of South Africa and mobilise them all to struggle for the liberation of all those who were oppressed by apartheid – blacks in general and Africans in particular – as well as to tirelessly work to ensure a better life for all the people of this country.

“We are calling upon all members of the ANC to close ranks and support the leadership as we prepare for the state of the nation address, where the programme of action of the ANC-led govern­ment will be unveiled,” the statement said.

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