Mandela board asks for crisis talks with ANC

The board of the Nelson Mandela Foundation has requested an urgent meeting with the ANC to discuss the leadership crisis sparked by the Constitutional Court finding that President Jacob Zuma acted unconstitutionally in the Nkandla affair.

But it said the crisis was not restricted to "summits of power" and stopped short of calling for Zuma to step down.

A statement from the board said it met on Friday to discuss "the groundswell of public discontent in the wake of the Constitutional Court’s recent ruling vindicating the Public Protector and holding the president accountable for unconstitutional executive actions".

It said: "The board welcomed the ruling. Democracy’s lifeblood is institutions promoting social justice without fear or favour‚ across the entire social‚ public sphere. Protecting this lifeblood is at the heart of Nelson Mandela’s legacy.

"While the board understands the extent of public sentiment behind the call for the removal of the president‚ it is also of the view that there are deep-rooted systemic problems that need to receive sustained public attention.

"South Africa has already experienced a presidential recall which failed to deliver strategies required to address the systemic imperative. Our country’s crisis of leadership is not restricted to the summits of power. The reach of our constitutional democracy stretches across the entire nation.

"We need good‚ accountable leadership in parliament‚ in all tiers of government‚ the civil service‚ business‚ schools‚ unions‚ political parties‚ universities‚ churches‚ hospitals‚ communities‚ NGOs and so on. And‚ of course‚ in our presidency‚ the first enabler‚ protector and defender of the common good embodied in our country's constitution."

The board‚ chaired by former University of Cape Town vice-chancellor Njabulo Ndebele‚ said it wanted an urgent meeting with the ANC to discuss these issues.

"It is time for South Africans to settle for nothing less than the dream Nelson Mandela demonstrated is achievable. All South Africans are the custodians of it."

Other board members include former president Kgalema Motlanthe‚ former Gauteng premier Tokyo Sexwale‚ former Aganag SA leader Mamphela Ramphele and the broadcaster Nikiwe Bikitsha.

- TMGDigital/The Times