Zuma must go - Mpho Tutu

Mpho Tutu, the daughter of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, added her voice on Wednesday to the calls for President Jacob Zuma to go.

The tightly packed crowd in the Company’s Garden cheered, whistled and clapped.

She added: "We choose our leaders and we can send them away."

Tutu said that apartheid had "crumbled" after people prayed. "We pray now and put our shoulders to the wheel to end the corruption that is now our country."

People first gathered at Parliament, before making their way to the city garden. They then returned to Parliament. Most then joined a "purple march" to the Cape Town Stadium to honour and celebrate Desmond Tutu and his wife Leah.

South Africans have been up in arms and questioned Zuma's leadership, following his decision to sack Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene and replace him with the virtually unknown Des van Rooyen. The move sent markets tumbling and the rand plummeting.

Four days later, Van Rooyen was replaced with former finance minister Pravin Gordhan.

Protest marches also took place in Johannesburg, George, Pretoria and Cape Town on Wednesday.

In a joint statement, Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille and Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais said the work of Desmond and Leah Tutu in reconciliation and building bridges, should be continued.

"Our history of pain and division caused much hatred and discrimination and for many, the pain still lingers. But our history has also proven that even one of the greatest forms of oppression can be overcome through unity, forgiveness, compassion, humanity and activism to bring justice.

"Two of the most prominent voices advocating for these values, were that of the Arch and Mama Leah."

Bringing about reconciliation went beyond the work of government and religious leaders, because it was only through a collective will and effort that true reconciliation and unity could be achieved, the statement read.
Marais said: "Their selfless contribution to social inclusion through reconciliation reminds us that our beauty lies in our diversity and that there is no future without forgiveness because essentially, we are better together."

Source: News24