Zuma will make SA new Zimbabwe, rival

Birds of a further … President Robert Mugabe and SA counterpart Jacob Zuma

After world record inflation, Zimbabwe, now without a currency of its own, is considered a collapsed state under long-term ruler and President Robert Mugabe – the 91-year-old who has run the country for 35 years.

Over the last few years, more than a million Zimbabweans have streamed across the borders into South Africa and Botswana, some going overseas, to escape an economic crisis that has left unemployment at more than 80 percent.

Vavi was addressing a crowd gathered at the Nelson Mandela Bridge in Johannesburg in support of the “Zuma Must Fall” campaign after the president’s spectacular gaffe over his treasury chief this week.

The protest was one of several marches being held in various cities, which attracted thousands of people.

Vavi directed his criticism at the government and ANC leadership as well as the president.

“They have run out of ideas. They don’t know what to do,” he said.

“The only thing they know is to loot the resources of our country to the point that if we allow them to continue to do what they are doing, we will be in the same position as Zimbabwe is today.”

President Zuma caused an outcry last week when he unexpectedly axed Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, replacing him with little known David van Rooyen, damaging markets and the rand.

Although Van Rooyen was replaced with Pravin Gordhan four days later, most South Africans feel Zuma only has his own interests at heart and not that of the country.

Civil organisations have vowed to disrupt the State of the Nation Address should the ANC refuse to recall the president.

Other events forming part of the campaign have been held in Pretoria, Port Elizabeth and elsewhere. In Pretoria, just under a thousand protesters gathered at the Union Buildings to call for President Zuma to step down.

The crowd marched from the Pretoria art museum to the Union Buildings, despite the Tshwane metro police department saying it had received no formal request from the organisers.

Zuma was however backed by the ruling ANC party which said most South Africans were against calls for the president to step down.

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa says the attendance at the demonstrations indicates that the majority of South Africans disagree with the campaign.

“If you look at the numbers of the people who have come out is that in majority South Africans have appreciated the fact that President Zuma has seriously considered and reflected his decision and made a U-turn on the earlier decision, appreciating the public concern and the public outcry.”

 ZUMA MUST FALL PROTEST IAMAGES: