Durban – Any anti-Zuma protests planned in KwaZulu-Natal would struggle to get off the ground, provincial African National Congress secretary Super Zuma said on Wednesday.
Zuma was reacting to United Democratic Movement leader Bantu Holomisa’s statement that the march organised by seven opposition parties would also be held in KwaZulu-Natal, which is considered “a no-go area”.
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema also promised that they would roll marches in KwaZulu-Natal, which is the ANC’s biggest province.
Zuma told News24 that they were not shaken, because the opposition parties would just be “exercising their right to march”.
The opposition parties didn’t vote for the ANC in 2014, but it still won the elections with more than 11 million voters, Zuma said.
“There are no UDM members in KZN, so Holomisa and them can bus in marchers if they like, because no ANC members from KZN will join them,” said Zuma, adding that they still backed the president despite the recent anti-Zuma protests.
The marches were sparked by the president’s recent Cabinet reshuffle, where he axed former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas.
Responding to the number of people that turned out for Wednesday’s march, Zuma said: “It was just a normal gathering of opposition parties.”
On Malema calling the president “Makhandakhanda” – sarcastically referring to the shape of his head – and that the only job he could do was look after cattle, Zuma said: “Who still listens to Malema? We take him as an undisciplined child.”
Zuma said the protesters had no memorandum to hand over, because it was just a normal gathering of opposition parties. He was responding to Malema’s earlier remarks that there was no memorandum because Zuma couldn’t read.
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