KNYSNA NEWS & VIDEO - Knysna residents joined thousands of South Africans in the #AntiZumaMarch also known as "Black Friday" to express their grievances against the president.
The march took place at Memorial Square on Friday, April 7. Residents raised their placards with their complaints and some even wore T-shirts that read "No Confidence In Zuma" and "Gatvol Of Zuma".
Convenor of the march Robert Collins said the march gave South Africans an opportunity to step up against Zuma, "the person who is making a mockery of the country".
Collins then went on to play a recording from the mayor, Eleanore Bouw-Spies, wherein she said: "Unfortunately I will not be able to join the national cry to have Zuma removed, but believe me I am with all our residents in this call. Stand tall, stand strong and show the world that we are serious about this call."
Bouw-Spies asked residents to put their best foot forward with discipline, and closed off by quoting the late great Nelson Mandela, "If the ANC does to you what the apartheid government did to you, then you must do to the ANC what you did to the apartheid government."
Barry Richards, a South African cricket legend, was among the crowd. “If we don’t try we’ll never know," Richards said of the national call for Zuma to step down. "It might not work today but this is the beginning. We’re standing up for poorer citizens because if we don’t stand up for them they are the ones who will be mostly affected by Zuma’s actions.”
Wilma Freriks from Holland also joined the protest, saying, "The president's actions do not affect me directly as I do not stay here, but I stand in solidarity with all South Africans who are affected and are doing something about it."
Brian Wright, an American, said the reason it is difficult to remove the president from power is because people have to vote for a party and not individuals."Somebody needs to get behind this and change it. The system is flawed, parties should be incidental," he said.
An elderly Knysna resident, Yvonne Glover, said, "I have decided to join the protest because it has become impossible for pensioners like myself to survive, and I object to the racism young black people are always talking about. My family has been in South Africa for over 360 years, we belong here."
Zukiswa Zangana, also a resident of Knysna, said, "We have had it with Zuma's corruption and the corrupt government. If we don't stand up to him now some of us might find ourselves without jobs. I'm sure businesses will also have to let some of their employees go as it is."
Adding to this, another protester, Brett Staggemann, said he was sure Madiba would cry if he saw what was happening in South Africa right now.
Concurring, protester Peter Kruger said, "We need a better president and a better government. This is one of the few times masses joined hands and voiced their grievances as a collective. Things might not change, but this is the start and the ANC needs to sit up and take note."
The large crowd then walked around the square and then the main road.
At the corner of Long Street and Main Road stood a small group of ANC supporters who wore their ANC regalia and had a "Vote for Zuma" poster.
ANC deputy regional secretary and chief whip Victor Molosi was asked whether he was aware of the ANC gathering. He said, "I was out of town, which makes it difficult for me to comment, however I am aware that fellow ANC members across the country wore their regalia and chanted to defend the party. History has taught us not to leave these things unattended."
With regard to the protest, Molosi said his views are that of the ANC's national office.
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Participants during the march down Main Street. Photo: Elaine King.
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