‘ANC misses golden opportunity – only people’s power can recapture our state’

The Save South Africa campaign says it is deeply disappointed with the ANC National Executive Committee’s decision on the continued leadership of President Jacob Zuma‚ saying that the organisation has missed a golden opportunity and that only people's power can now recapture the state.

“The ANC has turned its back on South Africa. And the NEC’s failure to remove Zuma must be interpreted as a further endorsement of corruption and misgovernment‚” the campaign said.

It said the decision suggested that the ANC failed to understand the “extent of disapproval of this corrupt and captured leader – outside the ANC and‚ increasingly‚ inside the ANC Alliance and within the leadership of the ANC itself”.

But the ANC’s decision only strengthened the campaign’s resolve to continue mobilising civil society as a collective voice against Zuma’s continued presidency.

It added that one week after being launched‚ more than 25‚000 people had already signed its our People’s Motion of No Confidence in Zuma.

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This was South Africa’s way of saying: “The ANC has failed us. It is now up to civil society.”

“Support for the campaign continues to stream in – from individuals‚ activists‚ the unemployed‚ concerned professionals and community leaders. They join the more than 20 civil society organisations that have already endorsed the campaign and are mobilising within their own sectors to stop state capture‚ put an end to corruption‚ and ensure that Zuma is removed as President.”

The Save South Africa campaign commended those “principled ANC members who were prepared to initiate and support the motion against Zuma at this weekend’s NEC. They have clearly listened to their conscience”.

“We also commend the Stalwarts for initiating this discussion inside the ANC‚ and their consistency and commitment to acting in the interests of the South Africa they fought so hard to liberate.

“It is telling that Zuma‚ in contrast to the Stalwarts’ selflessness‚ is prepared to cling to power in the face of so much pressure from inside his own organisation‚ and from outside.

“If Zuma cared about anything other than himself‚ he would have done the right thing and tendered his resignation to the NEC over the weekend. But Zuma clearly is unable to put the interests of South Africa first. Which is just one more reason why he must go‚” the campaign stated.