South Africans protest against Zuma, demand his resignation

Thousands marched in major South African cities on Friday to demand the resignation of President Jacob Zuma.

Zuma sacked Pravin Gordhan, finance minister, in a cabinet reshuffle on March 30, causing outrage and rifts in the ruling African National Congress which has governed South Africa since the end of white-minority rule in 1994.

In Johannesburg, several residents stood along the roads, waving placards demanding that Zuma steps down.

Mmusi Maimane, leader of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party, is due to lead a march in downtown Johannesburg, where thousands of marchers wore blue DA T-shirts gathered to start the march, with many bussed in from other areas.

A “holding hands” picket is due to take place in Cape Town, where motorists hooted in support of the march holding up South African flags.

About 2,000 people were also marching in coastal city of Durban

Syriana Maesela, a retiree who was on her way by train to Pretoria to join the march, said Zuma doesn’t seem to care about the people.

“I am marching to get the ANC to take us seriously and respect our wishes by letting the president go.

“We are unhappy about his leadership because he does not seem to care about the people. The irony is I did the same thing in 1976 when I was a student. I also marched then,” she said, referring protests against the apartheid regime.

NAN reports that the president welcomed one of the marches, by the civil society group Save South Africa (SaveSA) that was planned for outside the Union Buildings, the site of Zuma’s offices in the capital, Pretoria, saying it was the group’s legal right to do so.

The ANC on Wednesday rejected calls for Zuma to quit, and his supporters also gathered to support him, mounting mock parades and singing in support of Zuma.

The South African rand has tumbled more than 11 percent since March 27, when Zuma ordered Gordhan to return home from overseas talks with investors, days before firing him.

Desmond Tutu, South African human rights activist, and his wife also joined protesters.

"We will pray for the downfall of a #government that misrepresents us" – #DesmondTutu #peoplesmarch #SaveSouthAfrica Image: BennyGool pic.twitter.com/Sey54d1rCv

— TutuLegacy (@TheTutuLegacy) April 7, 2017

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