South Africa Launch Anti-Zuma Protests

The African National Congress will pick its next leader in December with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa expected to face off against Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the former chair of the African Union and Zuma’s ex-wife.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), which has backed Ramaphosa and operates in an alliance with the ANC, led marches in major cities across South Africa.

Though the demonstrations were supposed to be against corruption, it became apparent protesters had come to vent their anger at Zuma and throw support behind his rivals.

Throngs of protesters marched to parliament in Cape Town singing songs and waving “Zuma must go” placards, although the crowds never got close to the tens of thousands promised by COSATU.

“Things are just going down under President Zuma,” textile worker Florence Titus told Reuters.

“He needs to play a president’s role not just be there to fill his pockets and his family’s pockets. He must step down.”

Senior members of the ANC have also called for Zuma to quit in recent months following a swell of allegations that his friends, the Gupta family, wield undue influence over the award of state contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Guptas and Zuma deny wrongdoing and say they are victims of a politically-motivated witchhunt.

Zuma survived an attempt in parliament to force him from office in August, but was left politically wounded after some ANC members backed the opposition’s no-confidence motion.