Who has broken ranks with Zuma?

As opposition parties have come together to protest against the reign of President Jacob Zuma‚ a growing number of the ANC’s own have also come out to tell the President that it is perhaps time he heeded the call of the people.

One of the latest people to voice his concerns is ANC national executive committee (NEC) member and former party political strategist‚ Joel Netshitenzhe.

He told Business Day the NEC had the power to reverse the latest Cabinet reshuffle and party parliamentarians could vote to remove President Jacob Zuma.

• Gathering at Union Buildings likened in size to crowds at funerals of Hani and BikoThe march of opposition parties to the Union Building has been compared in stature to the funerals of Black Consciousness leader Bantu “Steve’ Biko and former SACP general secretary Chris Hani. 

Netshitenzhe suggested that Zuma had defied the majority of the ruling party’s officials when he suddenly shuffled the Cabinet and ousted Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas without their input.

- ANC political activist and former uMkhonto we Sizwe operative Dipak Patel wrote an editorial for TMG Digital wherein he said the days leading up to the scheduled vote of no confidence against Zuma would be crucial. Patel spoke against those who had “usurped power”‚ saying the country had eight days to make things right.

• 'Msholozi‚ you have overstayed your welcome!' - IFPMkhuleko Hlengwa‚ leader of the IFP National Youth Brigade‚ has told the crowd gathered at the Union Buildings that President Jacob Zuma had overstayed his welcome. 

 “Starting today we have eight days. Make them eight days that shake our beloved country. Eight days to a motion of no confidence.

Eight days of encouraging each of my network to find and lobby an ANC MP‚” he wrote. “Eight days in which I will work tirelessly to persuade our own comrades. Eight days in which there is a pregnant possibility of ridding ourselves of this home-grown disaster of a State President.”

• Opposition indaba mooted to get SA back on trackOpposition parties and civil society organisations look set to convene a summit to brainstorm ideas on how to put South Africa back on track. 

- It was unclear where ANC NEC member and Chief Whip Mathole Motshekga stood but as thousands gathered to voice their disapproval of Zuma‚ he called for a special NEC meeting to discuss Zuma’s future.

- Meanwhile‚ during the funeral of apartheid veteran‚ Ahmed Kathrada‚ former President Kgalema Motlanthe seemingly reiterated Kathrada’s call for Zuma to step down. He read extracts of Kathrada’s letter to Zuma‚ written over a year ago‚ where he called for Zuma to do the noble thing and vacate his seat of power.

• ‘This is not a march against the ANC but against Zuma’ - EFFThe EFF has reiterated that Wednesday’s National Day of Action march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria is not against the ANC‚ but only against President Jacob Zuma. 

- At the same funeral‚ ANC former treasury general Matthews Phosa‚ who was one of the first inside the party to call for Zuma’s removal‚ said: “The NEC of the ANC must stop being cowards. They must take a moral stand and say this man has violated the Constitution. He is in breach of his position. . It’s can’t be enough for a President. Just to say ‘I’m sorry’ is not enough. He must say I am sorry and also step down. “

- Former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan‚ who was axed from his position two weeks ago‚ seemingly ignited the revolt against Zuma. Speaking at media conference following his removal‚ he boldly said: “Yes‚ I am calling for mass mobilisation.”

• IN PICTURES: Happy birthday Zuma, now go away #NationalDayofActionBesieged but unfazed‚ President Jacob Zuma is set to be singing and dancing in Soweto‚ Johannesburg‚ at his birthday celebration rally on Wednesday as thousands of protesters descend on Pretoria demanding he step down. 

- Kathrada’s widow Barbara Hogan‚ who is a former minister of Public Enterprise‚ gave Zuma the same message as her husband: “Mr President‚ do you have ears to listen and eyes to see? If you had ears to listen and eyes to see‚ you would not have appointed four finance ministers in three years. If you have ears to listen and eyes to see‚ you will step down.”

• EFF: First we’ll remove Zuma‚ then the ANCEFF leader Julius Malema appealed to protesters to be disciplined on Wednesday as thousands marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to call for President Jacob Zuma’s resignation. 

Summing up the whole saga‚ Gauteng legislature chief whip Brian Hlongwa said the ANC often spoke differently to what it did. "There seems to be a credibility gap between what we proclaim and what we do. The ANC does not exist for itself. The label of leader of society is not in our DNA. It is something we must earn."