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Save SA coordinator, Mkhuseli Jack, says the organisation will use Freedom Day to speak up on matters holding the country to ransom.
In a media briefing held in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday morning he said they would use the opportunity to protect South Africans against more state capture in a rally at Dan Qeqe Stadium in Zwide, Port Elizabeth.
Save SA held two other protests last month, at which they made calls for Jacob Zuma to step down as president.
Jack said they would continue to make calls for Zuma to step down until he succumbs.
“The numbers of people calling for Zuma to step down have increased significantly since the Cabinet reshuffle,” said Jack.
“We must keep going until Zuma is gone, so we can build the South Africa we all dream of,” he said.
“We encourage other organisations to show their rejection of the state capture by taking to the streets on freedom day and beyond,” said Jack.
He said Save SA convenor Sipho Pityana would address the rally together with retired Constitutional Court judge Zak Yacoob and Anglican Bishop Nceba Nopece.
Jack said the nation continued to expect the ANC and its allies to do the right thing.
“As much as we appreciate the strident comments of the deputy president of the ANC and some of its allies, the nation expects them to do the right thing and support the motion of no confidence and recall him with immediate effect,” said Jack.
Read: Let’s discuss Zuma: Ramaphosa’s campaign for the top job hots up
“We also need to focus on the quality of leaders that will replace Zuma, so we do not end up with a Zuma clone,” said Jack.
“Zuma is an obstacle to a better society, and we can only build that better society once he is gone.”
Jack said some of the strongest protests and mobilisation against the apartheid regime, back in the 80s, started in the Port Elizabeth region.
“Port Elizabeth has always been the base to launch waves of retaliation and protests which later spread across the country,” he said.
Jack told City Press that Dan Qeqe stadium was specifically selected because of its heritage as the stadium where the biggest political marches were hosted.
“We consider the Dan Qeqe stadium as a shrine of South Africa’s liberation struggle.”
He said that the bottom line was profit in business, in politics the bottom line was the masses.
“It is up to the masses to ensure that Zuma is removed, wherever the masses are,” said Jack.
“He tried the race card, he failed. He tried to demonise us and called us white capitalists and clever Blacks, he failed. He tried to terrorise the people recently by reminding them of the KwaZulu-Natal battle fields, what next?” said Jack.
“I see PW Botha coming back through Zuma.”
“He is just a lame duck,” said Jack.
The rally will be preceded by a march which will commence from Njoli Square in KwaZakhele Township and proceed to Dan Qeqe, it will cover a distance of 3.5km.
The march will commence at 9am and then the rally will take place at 11am on Thursday, Freedom Day.
