I don’t know what goes on inside the mind of Jacob Zuma, but as ANC party members continue to call for his resignation he must be feeling the pinch.

Trevor Manuel is by no means the first to do so, and we can bet he won’t be the last, but his latest statements are another damning indictment of a leader now supported by only the most blindly loyal of cadres.

Manuel has joined forces with other veteran members of the ANC, such as AngloGold Ashanti chairperson Sipho Pityana and former Minister of Public Enterprise Barbara Hogan, and formed Save South Africa, a civil society group.

Yesterday the group requested an urgent meeting with JZ, with more below from Fin24:

[The meeting was] to discuss his capacity to provide “the leadership that is required to chart a way to stability, economic growth and the rights and promises contained in the Constitution”…

“We suggest, Mr President that you have put your personal interests ahead of the national interest, jeopardising the independence of key institutions and you have consequently lost the confidence of the people of South Africa,” Save South Africa said in its statement.

“The only honourable course of action open to you now is to resign.”

The group is planning a formal launch in coming weeks, it said.

We have seen, especially in the wake of their disastrous local election results, some infighting from the ANC. To have former party heavyweights come together in calling for Zuma’s resignation, though, well that’s charting new territory.

Tighten the screws, peeps, you have our full support.

[source:fin24]