Zuma fights back at Hani ceremony
The president labels Friday’s marches as racist and calls for urgent economic transformation
President Jacob Zuma mounted a stiff fightback against his detractors on Monday, describing marches calling for his head as racist, while his backers vowed to take to the streets in the ANC leader’s defence. The factional fight in the party is out in the open with groups using public platforms to speak out against their opponents. This comes after Zuma’s recent cabinet reshuffle, which resulted in SA’s credit ratings being downgraded to junk status by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch. The tension was evident at a wreath-laying ceremony for former South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Chris Hani in Boksburg on Monday, when the SACP’s second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila was booed. As if that was not enough, the rain seemed to conspire with his opponents, drowning out the remainder of his speech. The SACP, which has called on Zuma to step down, was largely sidelined at the event, billed as a government function and organised by key Zuma backer and Ekurhuleni exe...
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