Popular S.African group calls for Zuma’s resignation

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Blasting South Africa’s new Cabinet reshuffle, a popular group founded by a late anti-apartheid hero Friday called on President Jacob Zuma to step down for hurting the nation and its economy.

“The consequences of last night’s announcement have the dramatic result that our scarce resources will be diverted to servicing debt and irrational procurement decisions, rather than delivery of services,” Neeshan Balton, head of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, told reporters in Johannesburg about Zuma’s decision to sack five ministers, leading the county’s currency and stock markets to both tumble.

Zuma said the move was aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness, but some analysts said the ministers were performing well but were critical of Zuma and opposed to growing government corruption.

Urging South Africans to mobilize and protest for Zuma to resign, he said, "We support the rallying calls resounding across south Africa for all South African citizens to make their voices heard and take action to safeguard the future of our children."

Balton also appealed to the parliamentary leadership of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the opposition to introduce a no-confidence motion against Zuma.

Zuma was barred from attending the funeral of anti-apartheid hero Ahmed Kathrada on Wednesday after the latter had asked him to resign last year following a series of corruption scandals against him.

Kathrada died on Tuesday, age 87, after a short illness. He spent 26 years in prison, 18 of them on Robben Island, where his friend Nelson Mandela, later South Africa’s first post-Apartheid president, was also jailed.