ANC members who defend President Jacob Zuma’s actions “are being loyal to their bellies at the expense of their organisation”‚ the Treatment Action Campaign’s (TAC) general secretary‚ Anele Yawa‚ said on Friday.

“We call on all ANC members and leaders to take steps to recall Jacob Zuma as president of South Africa‚” he said in a media statement.

Yawa warned that ANC leaders and members who fail to stand up publicly against Zuma at “this time of state capture and corruption would be complicit in the corruption”.

He said senior ANC leaders such as Cyril Ramaphosa‚ Zweli Mkhize and Gwede Mantashe would be irrevocably tainted if they failed to act decisively.

The TAC called on ANC MPs to be brave at this moment of truth. “It will require courage for ANC MPs to actively oppose the president‚ or to vote against him in a parliamentary vote of no confidence‚ but that is what is required.

“If our struggle heroes could spend decades in prison‚ then surely today’s ANC can find the courage to stand up to a president that is clearly acting against the interests of the people?” Yawa asked.

The organisation condemned the president’s decision to remove five ministers and three deputy ministers‚ including Pravin Gordhan from finance and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.

Yawa said: “Gordhan has been on the frontline of the fight against corruption and state capture in South Africa. The removal of Gordhan and Jonas removes one of the last impediments to the unbridled looting of state coffers and opens the way for the signing of the nuclear deal which we know will bankrupt our country.”

He said the “only plausible reason” for the appointment of Malusi Gigaba as finance minister was to allow the president control over Treasury.

“In light of the recent Constitutional Court judgment in the Sassa [South African Social Security Agency] matter it is an insult to the people of South Africa that Bathabile Dlamini‚ who so spectacularly failed in her duties as minister‚ has survived the Cabinet reshuffle.

“It is similarly disturbing that Fikile Mbalula‚ who failed as minister of sport and recreation‚ has been appointed minister of police.”

Zuma’s actions have ended all pretence of governing in the public interest‚ TAC declared.

“This is not a Cabinet appointed to serve the people. It is not even a Cabinet appointed to serve the interests of the ruling party.

“It is a Cabinet appointed to serve only the political interests of the Gupta family‚ the president and his close allies.”

The poor are ultimately the ones who suffer the most from corruption‚ TAC said.

“We have seen at first-hand how corruption and the deployment of unqualified and uncommitted ANC cadres has destroyed provincial healthcare systems in the Free State‚ Mpumalanga‚ Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

“Money stolen from the state is money taken away from the delivery of services to the poor and from the development of our country.

“It is our healthcare‚ our education and our chances at decent work that Zuma and his corrupt allies are plundering.”