Durban – Calls by Johann Rupert for President Jacob Zuma to step down were lambasted by the ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal who on Thursday called on the billionaire businessman to leave the governance of South Africa to the ruling party.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo said in a statement the ANCYL would soon send a “strong message” to Rupert “to leave matters of governance to those elected”.
Sabelo’s comments follow Rupert’s reaction to a report on Netwerk 24 in which Zuma apparently alleged the business tycoon had flown back from overseas and met with a senior ANC leader to demand that the President reverse his appointment of Des van Rooyen as finance minister. Under pressure, Zuma relented and within a few days reappointed Pravin Gordhan as finance minister.
In the comments section below the report Rupert said he had, in fact, been in the country attending a graduation ceremony at the University of Stellenbosch.
“Yes, for the sake of the children you, you should resign, please,” he wrote in apparent reference to Zuma.
Sabelo, who described Rupert as a “racist imperialist” said Zuma had been properly elected by the ruling ANC party.
“It is only branches that can remove him, not some faction representatives no matter their current standing in society or struggle credentials and especially not by some imperialist who wants to continue looting the resources of our country,” said the youth league provincial sectretary.
Sabelo also claimed that Rupert was funding the opposition Democratic Alliance.
African News Agency
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