'Unity needed to dislodge Zuma'

Political analysts said on Sunday it would take mobilisation at all levels of the ANC to oust President Jacob Zuma.

They were responding to a critique by former ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa in The Sunday Independent.

Phosa called for Zuma to resign and pushed for the election of a new executive committee of the ANC.

He said he had a "Damascus moment" after the State of the Nation address.

"When a former comrade and colleague called the president a scoundrel and others called him a tsotsi ... I realised deeply and painfully that I have come to a point where I refuse to be part of the intellectual funeral of the ANC," wrote Phosa.

Wits School of Governance professor Susan Booysen said those opposed to Zuma would have to unite to force change.

"In the past year, South Africa has seen waves of serious movements, including civil [society] organisations, and an old ANC stalwart mobilisation to get a change of the guard in the ANC. Now is the time for these alternative voices to come to the forefront."

Political analyst Zamikhaya Maseti agreed. "If the ANC branches don't speak out nothing will happen. Elders like Andrew Mlangeni and Ahmed Kathrada spoke out a long time ago but no one listened." Responding to Phosa, Zuma's son, Edward, said Phosa was speaking against radical economic transformation.