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Talk about smooth transition for Zuma not about SA but ANC: Maimane

Talk about smooth transition for Zuma not about SA but ANC says Maimane.
Talk about smooth transition for Zuma not about SA but ANC says Maimane.
Image: THULI DLAMINI

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane says the smooth transition that the ANC is trying to negotiate for President Jacob Zuma is just to ensure the party’s unity and has nothing to do with the issues that South Africans care about.

Speaking after the DA’s federal council meeting‚ Maimane said the struggle that the ANC was facing to remove Zuma was theirs and not actually that of the country.

“It is not our crisis. It is the ANC’s crisis which is now holding South Africa to ransom. The election of Cyril Ramaphosa as president of the ANC has turned the mood of the nation and has provided a basis for a true battle of ideas for our future and in fact the country in the 2019 elections. However‚ the manner in which Jacob Zuma is holding our country and the ANC to ransom by refusing to leave is a clear demonstration of how powerful he is in the organisation.

“We expect without fail that Cyril Ramaphosa’s promise to South Africans that what is important is the unity in the ANC…In fact South Africans are left behind.

“We want to make it clear that such a thing as a smooth and dignified transition as Deputy President Ramaphosa calls it‚ is not in the interest of South Africa. The immediate removal and criminal prosecution of Jacob Zuma and all of his corrupt cronies with the ANC is what is in the interest of the people of South Africa‚” Maimane said in Cape Town.

The national executive committee of the ANC is meeting in Irene on Monday to decide Zuma’s fate as the party has failed to remove him from office in the past weeks.

Maimane lashed out at the ANC for making their problem that of all South Africans.

“We have gone past the phase in our democracy where we could speak about transitions or some reconciled settlement. We are at a space where South Africans are actually asking for justice. If you give President Jacob Zuma a smooth and easy transition‚ you are also affirming to the people of South Africa that the Constitution is meaningless‚ the rule of law is thrown out and therefore we simply can’t be party to that‚” said Maimane.

He added that no amnesty should be given to Zuma for all the corrupt activities he had been involved in during his presidency.

“If anybody wants to state that there must be an amnesty deal for Jacob Zuma‚ which will shield him from accountability for his crime‚ this is not in the interest of South Africa. This should not even be discussed. We categorically state that we reject any amnesty deal for Zuma as an insult to all South Africans‚” said Maimane.

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