Zuma's demands are nonsensical: protester

President Jacob Zuma must vacate the Union Buildings with immediate effect and stop putting a "nonsensical" ultimatum to the ANC top six.

That is the view of Mkhulisi White‚ an ordinary ANC member in the Harry Gwala region in KwaZulu-Natal‚ who came to the party's headquarters in Johannesburg on Monday.

"What we don't understand is that a president of the state would make so many demands of the ANC that deployed him. If Zuma is innocent‚ why is he so afraid to step down? Why is he giving the ANC ultimatums and conditions and demands?" asked White.

An ANC national executive committee member told TimesLIVE that Zuma had told ANC officials he would step down on condition that corruption charges against him fall away‚ all his appointed ministers remain in their positions and that projects he initiated stay intact.

"I can tell you that when he wants to make his ex-wife the deputy president of the country‚ seemingly the ex-wife knows about these things [and] we are very worried. The truth about him pushing Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is starting to unfold because he wanted someone who is going to defend him from his corrupt activities‚" added White.

A group of about 100 ANC members gathered outside Luthuli House on Monday in an attempt to counter a "Hands off Jacob Zuma" protest‚ led by Black First Land First (BLF).

ANC spokesperson Khusela Diko said the ANC had received reports there would be marches to the party headquarters but had not been given a formal notification. However‚ one of the top six officials would receive a memorandum from the BLF.

A BLF member who was walking past Luthuli House was chased by the ANC group but escaped unharmed as police protected him from the visibly angry crowd.

There was a heavy police presence outside the ANC's headquarters as well as both party and VIP security.

The ANC said in a statement: "While the ANC has not received any formal notification of any marches to Luthuli House‚ we trust that any grouping intending to march today has the necessary permissions in line with the law and regulations. We further urge such grouping to ensure that necessary measures relating to the deployment of public order officials and emergency services have been complied with.

"The ANC respects and will always uphold the right of all citizens to protest‚ in a disciplined and peaceful manner‚ on any matter. We trust those who protest today will do so in a manner that does not undermine the genuineness or otherwise of their cause."