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The widow of late struggle icon Ahmed Kathrada has called on President Jacob Zuma to step down.
Barbara Hogan, a struggle stalwart in her own right, also questioned why Zuma had not fired Communications Minister Faith Muthambi and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini.
When Zuma announced his Cabinet reshuffle, he moved Muthambi from the ministry of communications to public service and administration following the axing of Ngoako Ramatlhodi, despite Muthambi having been implicated in the ongoing SABC crisis.
Dlamini was left untouched by Zuma despite her perceived incompetence in the controversial social grant debacle that resulted in the Constitutional Court taking a decision to oversee grant payments.
Hogan delivered her address in front of a crowd of hundreds who packed the Johannesburg City Hall in commemoration of Kathrada.
Kathrada was buried on Tuesday this week.
Zuma did not attend his funeral citing this was in line with Kathrada’s wishes, a claim denied by Kathrada’s family and his foundation.
Hogan questioned Zuma’s decision to fire former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and not Dlamini or Muthambi.
“If you had eyes to see and ears to hear, you would have fired Faith Muthambi and Bathabile Dlamini. If you have eyes to see and ears to hear you would step down.”
She said Zuma’s regime postponed the government’s planned national memorial service for Kathrada, which was scheduled to take place at the University of Johannesburg campus in Soweto today, because he feared he would be criticised.
“We will not be silenced,” Hogan said.
However, Zuma’s spokesperson, Bongani Ngqulunga, denied Zuma’s involvement when interviewed by City Press at the presidential guest house in Pretoria on Friday.
Ngqulunga said Zuma was not party to the postponement and subsequent cancellation of Kathrada’s memorial service.
SA Communist Party (SACP) second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila decried criticism levelled by the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) that funerals were used to attack factions.
The ANCYL issued a statement following the scathing attack against Zuma at Kathrada’s funeral.
Mapaila said funerals and memorial services were platforms to be used to reflect on the lives of veterans and learn from them.
He reiterated the SACP Politburo’s decision that Zuma should resign.
Gordhan said government’s decision to postpone Kathrada’s national memorial service was “petty and spiteful”.
Gordhan urged South Africans to mobilise against state capture.
“I’m unashamedly encouraging mass mobilisation,” he said.
He said that people should start connecting the dots and draw the lines to find out who benefits.
Professor Njabulo Ndebele also took to the podium and said the country had entered the “time of a crisis”.
He praised Kathrada for writing an open letter to Zuma, saying he was brave.
Ndebele challenged ANC MPs to “do the right thing”.
This in the wake of two motions of no confidence against Zuma that have been submitted by the DA and Economic Freedom Fighters this week.
