Alleged ANC members disrupt Save South Africa media conference

About 30 people claiming to be ANC members disrupted a media conference held directly after the Real State of the Nation Address — presented by the civil society group‚ Save South Africa — in Cape Town.

Many in the group were wearing Save South Africa t-shirts‚ which one member explained were used as “camouflage” to blend in at the event on Wednesday.

The group entered the room where the media conference was being held‚ as founder of Save South Africa Sipho Pityana was answering questions from journalists‚ and began singing songs‚ including one that translated into “Leave Msholozi (Jacob Zuma) alone”.

Another man‚ who did not want to be named‚ later said that the group was there to protect South Africa from Save South Africa.

“They are not here to save SA but [rather to] sell SA‚” the man said.

 “If you serve South Africa you must understand everything in South Africa‚ don’t single a man out.

“You must deal with all South Africa’s issues. We came here to hear solutions but we didn’t — we only heard them insulting our president.”

Pityana believed the interruption was evidence that President Jacob Zuma had divided Save South Africa.

He said: “We are divided. They represent one faction [and] we represent another.”

The Real SONA was hosted by the civil society group at the St. Georges Cathedral in the CBD‚ ahead of the actual SONA in parliament on Thursday. It saw members from various non-profit organisations speak out about what they felt were the real issues facing the country.

Many attacked Zuma for what they believed were his failures in leading the country‚ and there were calls for him to resign as the country’s president.

Issues where speakers felt the president had not done enough included the protection of women and children‚ the struggling health system which saw the recent deaths of 94 mentally ill patients‚ as well as the controversial nuclear deal.

NGO Section 27 spokeswoman Nomatter Ndebele‚ said that the president would have approved brutality if he did not mention the mentally ill patients who were moved out of the Life Esidimeni hospitals and later died.

Siphokazi Mapokopoko from the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute‚ said that the country’s deal to buy Russian-manufactured nuclear plants was not transparent‚ and a waste of money and renewable energy.

“Our government is making it a secret as to the details of the nuclear deal. That raises alert to a nation. Why is it a secret if we will benefit from it?” she said.

“Government wants to invest money they don’t have. I call for everyone to stand against the deal.”

Pityana was the most scathing in his address‚ calling Zuma a limping president who was not trusted by his own party. He said that Save SA had no confidence in the president’s ability to reflect reality in his speech on Thursday.

“He is a leader not befitting the honour of presidency…Nepotism‚ corruption and state capture are the real state of the nation‚ and [he] is at the centre of it. Only when Jacob Zuma goes will South Africa be saved.”