I pushed for BRICS bank which is why I was pushed out, Zuma says at Mugabe memorial

Former president Jacob Zuma says he was removed before the end of his term because he suggested the creation of a BRICS bank, a move he believed would change the lives of poor black people.

Addressing ANC supporters at a memorial for the late Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, Zuma credited himself as being the one behind the creation of the bank after South Africa joined the BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

During his address, Zuma said his motivation for joining BRIC was because western countries were never friends of the ruling ANC during the liberation struggle.

He then criticised those countries for approaching the ANC only after liberation, with ideas on the economy, including suggestions of dealing with the International Monetary Fund.

“At BRICS, I told them, we are poor ... and suggested [the BRICS bank]. They [western countries] got the information about who came up with the idea ... that’s why they said, ‘Remove this man’,” said Zuma.

He said had he been allowed to serve out his term, he would have quickened the process of improving the life of poor black South Africans.

“One of the problems ... I faced [was] I wanted to quicken the process of changing the position of the poor black South Africans,” said Zuma.

He said his detractors were against this and they hastened the process to get rid of him before the end of his term.

“They saw it was even better if I don’t complete my term because had I [gotten] one-and-a-half-years, I was going to do a lot. I was really going to do it,” said Zuma.

He slammed economists in South Africa, saying they blamed him for everything that went wrong with the economy.

“If the rand goes down, it’s Zuma. If we are downgraded, it’s Zuma. Zuma is no longer in power, who is [ruining the economy] now?” said Zuma, speaking in Zulu.

Zuma further praised Mugabe, saying he was well loved by African leaders for having taken the decision to take back the land in Zimbabwe.

He said the ANC’s struggle was to completely decolonise the country both politically and economically but that didn’t happen.

“Those who controlled the economy, still control it. In other words, we are still colonised. We were only decolonised politically. When you speak like that, the clever ones look at you as a fool,” said Zuma.

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