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The Progressive Professionals Forum (PPF) has distanced itself from its president’s views on the Guptas, going as far as to say it would mobilise society against the infamous family.
The PPF said that president Mzwanele “Jimmy” Manyi’s view of South Africans suffering from “Guptaphobia” did not represent the views of the organisation.
Manyi is a former government [ANC] spokesperson and also the former host of a programme on the ANN7 television network owned by the Gupta family.
He is an arch-supporter of President Jacob Zuma and has been criticised for his links to the Guptas.
In a statement released on Wednesday, stating that it was not the organisation’s view that South Africa was suffering “Guptaphobia”, the PPF also stated that it was vehemently against any individuals, organisations and family businesses who have captured and or attempted to capture any organ of the South African state.
It held the position that businesses, corporations or families which sought to or had captured organs of the state, are and remain the enemies of the people of South Africa.
The PPF called on all South Africans in general and professionals in particular to work together in ensuring that every individual and corporations who wished to, or were seen to have captured the state, were treated as enemies of the people and the young democracy.
“We are going to mobilise every South African – the professional group and the unemployed by educating them the correct way of fighting against the enemy”, said Zinhle Cele; the deputy secretary of PPF.
The Economic Freedom Fighters, Democratic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, African Christian Democratic Party, African People’s Convection, Congress of the People and the United Democratic Movement marched from Church Square to Union Buildings demanding that Zuma step down.
The parties said that the downgrading of South Africa to junk status would lead to high interest rates levied on home, car and student loans, high food prices and a bigger fiscal debt.
The PPF agreed with the office of presidency that the socioeconomic challenges facing South Africa would only be addressed if the economy was inclusive to everyone, especially to the black population and women.
The PPF agreed that the stability of South Africa would remain unstable for as long as the majority of South Africans – who were deprived during the apartheid regime and still were – were totally excluded from the economic activities of their country.
Manyi said that he was not Guptaphobic, and he would like people to be cured of this disease in an interview with the Times this week
The PPF had been working hand-in-hand with the South African government, as well as the minister of finance, to ensure that South Africa was improving economically.
The PPF was confident that South Africa would not waste this crisis but instead use it to boost its tourism and other weakened rand-related industries, while working towards regaining its investment grade.
