Thousands march for political change in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG

Supporters of South Africa’s main opposition party Democratic Alliance marched in Johannesburg Friday, calling for political change and the removal of the country’s President, Jacob Zuma, from office.

Addressing thousands of supporters in Johannesburg, opposition leader Mmusi Maimane said the ruling African National Congress must be voted out of power because it was allegedly corrupt.

“Corruption is all over in the organization. It is not just Zuma. We are here to say enough is enough ANC,” Maimane said.

The protest came two weeks after the country’s constitutional court ruled that Zuma had violated the constitution by not complying with an anti-corruption watchdog’s orders to pay back millions of public money used to upgrade his private home.

“The dream of Nelson Mandela died in the ANC. It must now be continued by the DA,” Maimane said in reference to the high values that were upheld by the anti-apartheid icon, who once led the African National Congress and the country.

He urged South Africans to vote for his Democratic Alliance party in the upcoming elections so the country could get political change.

The African National Congress, which fought for the liberation of South Africa from white-minority rule, has been in power since the dawn of democracy in the country in 1994.

Maimane promised his government would end corruption, create jobs and deliver services to people.

“Zuma must fall. He must go,” he told the crowds dressed in blue.

There have been growing calls for Zuma to resign ever since the constitutional court found out he violated his oath of office.

Last week, the opposition sponsored a motion in parliament to impeach him, but the ruling party, which has a majority in the house, voted against it.

“Zuma’s behavior has made South Africans a laughing stock of the world. That’s why I’m here supporting the call for his removal,” Johannesburg resident Precious Sofi told Anadolu Agency.

Meanwhile, African National Congress spokeswoman Khusela Sangoni strongly denied the opposition’s corruption claims.

“We would expect the DA to say everything to discredit the ANC,” Sangoni told Anadolu Agency by phone late Friday, adding that her party remained “very determined in fighting corruption.”