ANC to ‘engage’ with groups calling for Zuma’s head

07 April 2016 - 11:29 By TMG Digital

The African National Congress (ANC) does not agree with their demands‚ but will engage groups calling for President Jacob Zuma’s removal from office‚ spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.His comment comes a day after more ANC bigwigs and former luminaries of the tripartite alliance joined the growing chorus of people calling for Zuma’s head.Former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils‚ former ANC deputy secretary-general Cheryl Carolus‚ former head of the ANC Youth League Ronald Lamola and former Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi were among those who gathered on the steps of the Constitutional Court on Wednesday to announce a campaign to unseat Zuma.“In their call they say they will engage‚ and we say as the ANC‚ as part of our engagement of different stakeholders‚ we will also engage them in their call‚ but we don’t agree with that call‚” Kodwa said.This follows the Constitutional Court’s unanimous judgment last week that found the president had breached the Constitution when failing to implement the findings of the public protector's report on his Nkandla home upgrades.The activists on Wednesday called on civil society to march on April 27‚ the public holiday that commemorates South Africa's first‚ free and fair election in 1994‚ to call for Zuma to step down.They met in reaction to the defeat by the ANC majority in the National Assembly on Tuesday of a motion of impeachment.Kodwa said that the ANC had on Monday resolved to go out and engage with branches of the party and other stakeholders‚ including civil society.The Congress of the People on Wednesday said it “will participate fully in all the activities of the civil society movement that is beginning to take shape”.“The magic moment of a tipping point had been reached. People have had more than enough of Jacob Zuma and his shenanigans‚" said the party's Dennis Bloem.“(On Wednesday)‚ an important threshold was crossed and the forces of good in our nation are swelling to achieve the good of the nation.“Finally‚ thievery and looting in politics will get its comeuppance through the will of the people.”..

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