BUSINESS and labour are being urged from within their own ranks to take a stand against President Jacob Zuma, who is increasingly viewed as responsible for the loss of confidence in the government and the ANC.
The moves, originating simultaneously from opposite sides of the political spectrum, indicate that Zuma is under siege and that his time as president could end earlier than the 2019 election.
While AngloGold Ashanti chairman Sipho Pityana called on business leaders to take a political stand, saying it was time to act to force the government to change course, it emerged that the overwhelming majority of Cosatu affiliates want Zuma gone from the apex of government, immediately following an ANC national conference.
Pityana, who sent shock waves through the ANC when he pleaded for Zuma to step down two weeks ago in a speech at the funeral of prominent ANC leader Arnold Stofile, has now taken his fight further. Writing to Business Unity SA (Busa), Business Leadership SA (BLSA) and the Black Business Council (BBC), he urged them to join the discussion about Zuma’s future.
Since 1994 business leaders have typically been reluctant to speak out politically, avoiding controversy and, instead, attempting to solve problems behind closed doors.
Pityana said, though, time was running out and business could not stand on the sidelines. "I’ve written to business organisations, saying there are problems we have to talk about.
"My view is business should be part of a discussion about the president. We are at the same point now as we were when, during apartheid, business told government that a different course was required," he said.
At the other end of the political spectrum, there is a convergence of opinion within Cosatu that Zuma has lost the confidence of workers and should step down as president of the country after the ANC national conference in 2017, or earlier.
Cosatu leaders also say Zuma should not be allowed to govern from the grave, the inference being that AU chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma should not succeed him.
On Monday, Cosatu will hold a special central executive committee meeting to discuss the political environment and to prepare for meetings with the ANC and South African Communist Party to convey the labour federation’s position on Zuma.
Cosatu’s position emerged during internal discussions at its central executive committee meeting in August in which it analysed the party’s performance, according to insiders.
Union bosses, however, are "cautious to avoid a standoff", with the ANC by making bold public statements, and do not want to appear oppositionist and divisive and so have not made any public statements.
At the federation’s congress last year, unions in Cosatu wanted to endorse Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to succeed Zuma but a decision was taken to shift that discussion behind closed doors. This discussion will form part of Monday’s meeting.
But the South African Democratic Teachers Union, among the federation’s largest affiliates, has made its position known, saying there should be no surprises in electing new leadership for the ANC. The union’s view was that Ramaphosa should succeed Zuma, said its general secretary John Maluleke.
But there are also voices calling for Zuma to stay. While Busa and BLSA are yet to respond to Pityana’s letter, the BBC made its view known immediately, saying that a call for Zuma’s removal amounts to "a sophisticated coup".
The BBC met urgently with Zuma on Friday, following the exchange with Pityana, to assure Zuma of the business grouping’s continued support.
President of the BBC, Ndaba Ntsele said: "We told Pityana we are not in support of the president being changed in funerals, when we have elevated him through the ballot. What Pityana is calling for is a sophisticated coup. Let’s rather solve the issues," he said.
While the BBC supports Zuma, Ntsele said the organisation has complained to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe about the strong influence of the Gupta family on the ANC and the government.
Civil society, too, is contemplating ways out of the morass.
Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) executive director Lawson Naidoo said there was a broader process of engaging civil society. He said everyone was concerned about "where we are as a country with the current leadership".
Casac is a launching a consultation process on how to engage different groupings including labour, business, faith communities and nongovernmental organisations.
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