Former finance minister Pravin Gordhan on Tuesday publicly called on President Jacob Zuma to step down and make way for fresh blood.
“I’ve said it in ANC forums. I think the president should move aside and let somebody take over this country and reset the course‚ so that we can fulfill the kind of aspirations that Mandela and his generation had for South Africa‚” Gordhan said during a panel discussion broadcast on news channel eNCA.
The panel was part of a dialogue titled The Negotiated Settlement‚ hosted by 702 radio presenter Eusebius McKaiser.
Roelf Meyer‚ a key member of the pre-1994 negotiations‚ was also present‚ along with journalist Ranjeni Munusamy‚ and ANC member Febe Potgieter-Gqubule.
Gordhan has become increasingly outspoken about government corruption since he was fired by Zuma in a cabinet reshuffle at the end of March.
Gordhan’s comments are part of a growing chorus of anti-Zuma sentiment.
Civil society organisations are convening on Tuesday at a massive gathering called the Conference for the Future‚ attended by campaigners like Save SA’s Sipho Pityana and ANC MP Makhosi Khoza.
Khoza has received death threats after her vocal opposition to Zuma’s presidency‚ which will be decided on in the National Assembly after a motion of no confidence next month.
