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Thousands of multiracial DA supporters flocked to the Westgate Transport Hub in Johannesburg on Friday, before swarming to Mary Fitzgerald Square to demonstrate what the party has dubbed a “march for change”.
This comes after President Jacob Zuma reshuffled his Cabinet last week, dismissing Pravin Gordhan as finance minister and giving several other ministers the chop that saw the rand plummet.
In addition, South Africa was also downgraded to junk status by credit rating agencies S&P Global and Fitch Ratings.
City Press spoke to several DA supporters who joined the march. An emotional Vaughan van der Merwe made his intentions clear, stating that Zuma must be swept out.
“We are here to sweep Zuma and his puppets out of leadership,” a tearful Van der Merwe said.
“The reshuffle and all the scandals surrounding Zuma make me cry because I love my country so much.
“We want a leadership that uplifts all the people of South Africa regardless of their colour or race. We want service delivery and a better life for all.”
Asked how the consequences of the reshuffle will affect him personally, Van der Merwe said it was too early to tell, but that the poor would be quick to feel the financial strain.
He added that Zuma was a “criminal at large” and that it was about time he stepped down.
“The president is a criminal and I feel that [DA leader] Mmusi Maimane is the right man to lead and take South Africa forward.”
An elderly DA supporter, Nkele Mmusi, also called for the removal of Zuma, citing reasons that the president was taking the country backwards.
“Zuma must leave the chair,” Mmusi said.
“He cannot take us forward. I voted for the ANC in 1994 and applied for a house in 1996, but I still live in a single room in Alexandra with unemployed children who rely on my pension fund.
“I can’t even extend that room because the property is not mine. The ANC was good, but now it’s bad; hence, I made the switch to the DA.”
All those gathered at Westgate eventually marched to Mary Fitzgerald Square where Maimane, who appeared to be wearing a bulletproof vest underneath his shirt, delivered his speech.
Maimane said South Africa was not a junk country. He stated that Zuma was the one who had led the country to so-called “junk status” and added that the DA was embarking on a movement for change that sought to create opportunities for all and build a prosperous, diverse nation.
“The people of South Africa will never accept the destruction of our country. We need to reincarnate the spirit of 1994 and decide our own destiny.”
He encouraged DA supporters to show the world that Africa was a continent determined to prosper and that its prosperity began in South Africa.
“Hold the person next to you by the hand and demonstrate unity,” Maimane said.
“Let us live and strive for equality in South Africa, our beautiful land,” he said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of ANC members gathered outside Luthuli House to join the party’s estimated 600 military veterans in support of Zuma.
According to Mabel Rweqana from the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans’ Association, the veterans from all over the country were there to protect the headquarters of the ANC.
“None of the 600 veterans has a gun, so there is no need for violence today‚” she said.
“The veterans were merely deployed to protect the headquarters of the ANC against any form of intimidation or harm.”
ANC supporters around the building were chanting and singing revolutionary songs while they held banners with messages of support for Zuma.
ANC member Sipho Magano said the reason they were gathered outside Luthuli House was mainly because they were against the DA’s mission to unseat Zuma.
Magano said the DA did not put Zuma in power and therefore could not vote him out.
“Hands off president Zuma,” he said.
“The DA will have to wait until 2019 for the president to step down. The reshuffle he made was an act of eliminating criminals from the Cabinet.
“The DA must go rule in Cape Town, not here. This is our house,” Magano said.
Violence soon erupted around Luthuli House as a DA supporter was seriously injured after being beaten up by ANC supporters after attempting to walk through the area with a DA flag. Police say the man had been taken to hospital.
City Press spoke to two of the alleged attackers, who refrained from giving their names. They confirmed that the man was beaten up because he was a “rebel”.
“They are coming here with DA T-shirts, DA flags and unpleasant pictures depicting Zuma as a monster,” said one of them.
“They are rebelling against the man in power. It is wrong and we will fight anyone who rebels against our president.”
Ace Magashule, premier of the Free State, was present at the event and reiterated the message.
“Zuma will remain president until 2019,” he said.
