Zuma is disgraceful, dishonourable: Khoza

President Jacob Zuma was a dishonourable and disgraceful leader and the ANC under him would not be able to fulfil its mission.

This is how defiant ANC MP Makhosi Khoza described Zuma's leadership yesterday, adding that he had also lost legitimacy, credibility and integrity.

She said Zuma was promoting tribalism and was yearning to be "a king", which his Nkandla homestead reflected.

Khoza was speaking during a conference on the future of South Africa at Rhema Bible Church in Randburg, Johannesburg.

The conference, which sought to plan an end to state capture, was organised by several civil society organisations, including the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and Save SA.

Prominent figures such as former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas, SACP's newly elected first deputy general-secretary Solly Mapaila, unionist Zwelinzima Vavi and business leader Bonang Mohale attended the conference.

Khoza is known as a fierce critic of Zuma and has been on the receiving end of death threats.

But she appeared unfazed as she took potshots at Zuma.

"Our president, when his citizens march peacefully to plead with him to step down in order to give South Africa a breathing space, he calls them racists and agents of white monopoly capital.

"This is the president; when black intellectuals express their views, he sarcastically calls them clever blacks.

"In case I do not make it on August 8, Mr President, you must know that you are haunting the South African nation," she said.

Khoza has previously said she will not toe the party line when a motion of no confidence in Zuma is tabled in parliament on that day.

Mohale said he was fascinated by similarities between Zuma and former apartheid president and National Party leader PW Botha.

"Both of them come from rural areas and were uneducated," Mohale said.

"Both of them went on to embarrass their parties."

Reverend Ray McCauley encouraged South Africans to form strong alliances against state capture.

"The values that Nelson Mandela stood for and the fact he could not be bought while in prison stood as an example to all of us. Today we need to make those
values stronger and form alliances," McCauley said.

"I have the sense right now that we are going to get over this. This is country is resilient."