Johannesburg - AngloGold Ashanti Chairman Sipho Pityana on Wednesday lashed out at President Jacob Zuma again, describing him as the “sponsor-in-chief of corruption” as he reiterated his call for the president to step aside.
The Johannesburg mining indaba gave Pityana a standing ovation after his blunt speech to key industry players, including chief executives, labour unions, and investors, charging that Zuma was at the root of the crisis in South Africa.
“While the debate over state capture rages and corruption grows, we have a president who - at best - is missing in action. At worst, he is a leader at the very root of this crisis, one who has abrogated his constitutional duties and faces the threat of hundreds of corruption charges,” he said.
He said business was missing in action in calling for Zuma’s resignation.
“Zuma must go, for the sake of our country he has to go,” he said, to rousing applause from the audience.
Pityana said leaders found guilty of corruption or misrepresentation no longer fell on their swords for the greater good, but remained in office.
“And why not, when we have a president who literally laughs off any suggestion that government be held to a higher standard - and is, in fact, the sponsor-in-chief of corruption?”
Pityana first publicly called for Zuma’s resignation last month at the funeral of former sports and recreation minister Makhenkesi Stofile in the Eastern Cape.
Since then, civil society and Sibanye Gold CEO Neal Froneman echoed the call for Zuma’s resignation.
“The elephant in the room is a president who lacks integrity and lacks honour. None of the promises he makes to any segment of society can be held on to, because he lacks integrity,” he said.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event, Pityana said it was possible to remove Zuma. He cited the impeachment of Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff - a development that had helped improve Brazil’s currency.
“I think if he (Zuma) were to resign, it would lead to a huge difference for the economy. If there was a case to remove former president Thabo Mbeki from office, there is an even more compelling case to remove Zuma,” he said.
Pityana said the call for Zuma’s resignation or replacement was his own personal view and he felt that the president had brought the ANC into disrepute.
“He (Zuma) lacks integrity and has put the ANC into disrepute. The ANC has a negative view on anyone who puts the organisation into disrepute. I feel that removing Zuma will help reposition the ANC,” added Pityana.
He said he was not worried about the consequence of the call for Zuma’s resignation, if there were any for the mining industry and AngloGold Ashanti in particular.
“If I thought that this (call for Zuma to step down) would put AngloGold Ashanti into jeopardy, I would easily step down and continue to call for Zuma to step down,” he said.
He said that business and ordinary citizens should not bury their heads in the sand, but speak out about the corruption.
Pityana also noted that the nationwide #FeesMustFall protests at tertiary institutions was a reaction to a state that simply shrugged its shoulders and closed its pockets.
“We owe them our empathy and support,” he said.
BUSINESS REPORT