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COPE - "Zuma is not fit for office."

2010-02-09

Mbhazima Shilowa, the deputy president of the Congress of the People, said on Monday that the party would move for a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma when Parliament resumed this week.

We derive no pleasure from dealing with this matter. Ours is not about the humiliation of the president of the Republic," he told a media briefing after a meeting of the party's top brass at the weekend.

Shilowa said the motion would be called because of the impact of Zuma's behaviour on the country.

The focus of the entire country was on Zuma due to his indiscretion when it should be on the issues that ordinary South Africans faced, such as unemployment, poverty and HIV and Aids.

COPE general secretary Charlotte Lobe said South Africa had become a "laughing stock" internationally because Zuma "failed to heed his own government's call on the pandemic".

She was referring to the HIV and Aids pandemic and said Zuma had not adhered to the government's programme on abstinence, being faithful and using condoms.

"His sexual advances to the children of his friends... go to the heart of his moral bankruptcy," said Lobe.

"President Jacob Zuma is not fit for office. He has tarnished the image of the Republic."

COPE's leaders were locked in a meeting with the party's youth wing on Monday. The youth have called for the resignation of the leaders, accusing them of failing the party and charging that it has a "dysfunctional" political and organisational structure.

COPE president Mosiuoa Lekota, who was flanked by Shilowa, said the meeting with the youth was "proceeding well".

"All of us are satisfied that at the end of it all the necessary steps will be taken to lead us to a better position," he said.

The party is to hold its policy conference in March and an elective conference before the end of May.