#GuptaEmails: Phosa renews call for Zuma to step down

Mathews Phosa

Mathews Phosa

Published May 28, 2017

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Johannesburg - As President Jacob Zuma fights for his political survival after a motion of no confidence was tabled against him on Saturday night, ANC stalwart Mathews Phosa has reiterated his call for Zuma to step down.

On Sunday, the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) was debating the motion, with the president’s backers expected to argue strongly against his removal.

Sources told Independent Media that the motion was tabled by the ANC’s think tank head Joel Netitshendze and supported by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and his deputy Joe Phaahla, axed tourism minister Derek Hanekom, and NEC member Sue van der Merwe. Last year, Zuma survived another motion of no confidence that was tabled by Hanekom.

ANC stalwart Mathews Phosa, delivering the keynote address at the Peter Mokaba region in Limpopo on Sunday, criticised “corrupt leaders with broken values, who have lost the moral high ground”, saying they had let the entire country down.

He made the remarks hours after the media reported on email correspondence revealing the Guptas’ influence on the ANC-run government through Zuma and his son Duduzane.

Phosa said: “Looking at our current crisis we are forced us to ask ourselves difficult questions: How did we get here? Where we should be and how will we get there? We need leaders we can believe in, the status-quo is not good enough. Let us create a new status-quo together. We need government and society in partnership for growth. Let us root out crime and corruption. Let us work together for the benefit of all.”

He characterised corrupt leaders as charlatans who had lost the essential good values “that unite our party and our nation”, saying: “They have lost values that honour the rights for all; that champion the people; that unite even the most divided; and that pave the road for a better South Africa, a South Africa we all dream of and know it can be.”

Phosa added: “Leaders who are found guilty or have reason to fear of being found guilty of violating the constitution and supreme law of the land, who have lost the trust of their people and party, who have unethically misguided a nation, and who have lost the cherished values of the ANC must be held accountable: Please Mr President, step down.”

The NEC meeting is expected to adjourn on Sunday afternoon.

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Political Bureau

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