THOUSANDS of people voted with their feet when they took to the streets around the country to voice their dissatisfaction with President Jacob Zuma yesterday.
In Cape Town, “Zuma Must Fall” was spray-painted onto the walls of parliament – and not removed for hours – and a massive “Zuma Must Fall” banner was left fastened unscathed to the parliamentary fence on the corner of Wale and Adderley streets in the city centre. When they combined, the crowd created the biggest march in Cape Town since the Treatment Action Campaign march against then-president Thabo Mbeki’s HIV/Aids policies in 2003, and the “Purple Shall Govern” march against the apartheid regime in 1989.
United Front coordinator John Appollis told the crowd that “when the middle-class comes to the streets then we know we are in a political and economic crisis”.
Former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi yesterday hit out at a “hyena elite” currently holding the country to ransom as he appealed for a stand against corruption.
“We are refusing to be reconciled with corruption and the eating away of the fabric of our society‚” Vavi said.
Humorous signs were interspersed with those calling for Zuma’s removal.
Individuals carried blown-up placards bearing cartoons by Zapiro‚ while others carried self-made artworks.
Demonstrators were adamant the march had sent a message and would have an affect‚ while organisers said activism would continue if the looting did not end.
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