UPDATE - S. Africans protest, call for removal of President Zuma

UPDATES WITH ZUMA SURVIVING NO CONFIDENCE VOTE AGAIN

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Thousands took to the streets in major cities of South Africa on Tuesday calling for the removal of their president as Jacob Zuma faced yet another vote of no confidence in the parliament.

Zuma narrowly survived the no confidence vote that was brought against him by opposition parties.

Parliamentary Speaker Baleka Mbete announced late Tuesday that 384 votes had been cast with 177 favoring the motion and 198 against it. Nine MPs had abstained from the vote.

In order for the motion to have gone through at least 50 African National Congress (ANC) parliamentarians should have supported it, but only 26 ANC MPs voted in support along with the opposition.

“Therefore, the motion of no confidence against the president is negative,” the speaker announced as ANC parliamentarians broke into dance and song inside the National Assembly.

The vote was held by secret ballot after the opposition approached the constitutional court to compel the parliamentary speaker to hold the ballot in secret.

They claimed some ANC MPs wanted to vote against their president but fear victimization.

Zuma has survived eight no-confidence votes so far amid repeated allegations of corruption because of the ANC’s majority in the National Assembly. The ANC has 249 seats in the 400-seat assembly.

The opposition accuses Zuma of having a corrupt relationship with the influential Indian Gupta family, which they claim influences him to hire and fire ministers. The president is also accused of failing to uphold his oath of office.

Zuma, 75, denies all corruption allegations against him.

Ahead of the vote, protesters had urged parliamentarians to vote against the president.

"We urge each and every member of parliament to vote against Zuma today," civil society activist Sipho Pityana told a huge crowd outside the parliament in Cape Town.

South African Federation of Trade Unions Secretary-General Zwelinzima Vavi said Zuma was turning South Africa into a banana republic and should be removed before doing so.

"How can one person hold 55 million South Africans to ransom?" opposition Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane asked the crowd, which responded with "Zuma must go".

The protests were broadcast on national television and showed protesters dressed in different political party regalia, carrying the South African flag and placards calling for Zuma to step down.

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, claimed that Zuma had sold South Africa to the influential Indian Gupta family accused of having close relations with the president.

Malema said if ANC parliamentarians vote in favor of keeping Zuma, it would mean they are as corrupt as he is.

Protesters in capital Pretoria gathered outside the seat of government calling for Zuma to be voted out. A few were also seen protesting across the Johannesburg Central Business District earlier on Tuesday.