The “most appropriate pronouncement Zuma could make this evening is to announce his resignation"

“The only way South Africans will experience the promise of a better life for all is when Jacob Zuma is no longer the president of our country.”
That’s how Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane summed up what his party wanted from Thursday night’s State of the Nation Address (Sona).
Maimane said the “most appropriate pronouncement Zuma could make…this evening is to announce his resignation from the highest office in the land”.

“South Africa continues to suffer from a leadership crisis‚ as the president hops from one scandal to the next‚ all to protect himself and his cronies‚” the head of the opposition said.
“This while our country remains on the verge of economic meltdown due to low economic growth‚ spiralling corruption‚ rising unemployment‚ a nationwide drought‚ rising inflation‚ and failed service delivery. It cannot continue any longer.”

Maimane said that Zuma could spare Parliament having to debate the motion of no confidence that he requested – and got –after the president’s “catastrophic decision to fire the competent Minister of Finance‚ Nhlanhla Nene‚ in December last year”.
“The president should himself expedite the process of his removal from office by doing the honourable thing and resigning‚” Maimane advised.

He said Zuma‚ in his oath of office‚ “swore to ‘be faithful to the Republic of South Africa’ and ‘obey‚ observe‚ uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other law of the Republic’ ”.
“Following the revelations in the Constitutional Court earlier this week‚ it is clear that the president didn’t mean a single word he said.”
The DA had approached the court to ask it to decide whether the failure to comply with remedial action set out in the public protector’s report on Nkandla constituted a breach of constitutional duties by the National Assembly and the president.

“Still‚ 8.3-million South Africans cannot find a job because President Zuma has one.”