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| Thousands March in South Africa to Call for Jacob Zuma’s Resignation | |
| (1 day later) | |
| JOHANNESBURG — Thousands of people marched in major cities across South Africa on Wednesday to demand the resignation of President Jacob Zuma after an important government appointment last week that raised concerns about his handling of the nation’s economy. | JOHANNESBURG — Thousands of people marched in major cities across South Africa on Wednesday to demand the resignation of President Jacob Zuma after an important government appointment last week that raised concerns about his handling of the nation’s economy. |
| Protesters in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and elsewhere have called on the governing African National Congress to recall Mr. Zuma, whose tenure as president has been marred by a series of scandals and accusations of pervasive corruption, but the party has stood by him so far. | Protesters in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and elsewhere have called on the governing African National Congress to recall Mr. Zuma, whose tenure as president has been marred by a series of scandals and accusations of pervasive corruption, but the party has stood by him so far. |
| Last week, Mr. Zuma surprised even members of his own cabinet by abruptly firing Nhlanhla Nene, his well-respected finance minister, who had clashed with the chairwoman of the state-owned South African Airways, Dudu Myeni, who is a close ally of Mr. Zuma’s. | Last week, Mr. Zuma surprised even members of his own cabinet by abruptly firing Nhlanhla Nene, his well-respected finance minister, who had clashed with the chairwoman of the state-owned South African Airways, Dudu Myeni, who is a close ally of Mr. Zuma’s. |
| Mr. Zuma named David van Rooyen, a low-profile lawmaker with no experience in government finance, as Mr. Nene’s successor. But only days later he was forced to replace Mr. van Rooyen with Pravin Gordhan, a former finance minister, after investors expressed grave concern about the independence of South Africa’s treasury and the country’s currency, the rand, dropped sharply. | Mr. Zuma named David van Rooyen, a low-profile lawmaker with no experience in government finance, as Mr. Nene’s successor. But only days later he was forced to replace Mr. van Rooyen with Pravin Gordhan, a former finance minister, after investors expressed grave concern about the independence of South Africa’s treasury and the country’s currency, the rand, dropped sharply. |
| Zwelinzima Vavi, the former leader of Cosatu, the powerful trade union federation, and a former ally of Mr. Zuma’s, called on the president to step down. | Zwelinzima Vavi, the former leader of Cosatu, the powerful trade union federation, and a former ally of Mr. Zuma’s, called on the president to step down. |
| “We are refusing to be reconciled with the eating away of the moral fiber of our society by a small elite that has managed to intimidate so many South Africans with their corruption,” Mr. Vavi said. | “We are refusing to be reconciled with the eating away of the moral fiber of our society by a small elite that has managed to intimidate so many South Africans with their corruption,” Mr. Vavi said. |
| On Wednesday, Moody’s became the latest credit ratings agency to lower its outlook on South Africa’s debt, to negative from stable. | On Wednesday, Moody’s became the latest credit ratings agency to lower its outlook on South Africa’s debt, to negative from stable. |
| Moody’s cited slow growth in the country, which has been hurt by falling prices of its main commodities, and pressure to increase public spending before elections in metropolitan areas next year, with “the potential for losses of several important cities.” | Moody’s cited slow growth in the country, which has been hurt by falling prices of its main commodities, and pressure to increase public spending before elections in metropolitan areas next year, with “the potential for losses of several important cities.” |
| Political analysts say that officials in the A.N.C., which has governed since the end of apartheid in 1994 and controls eight of the country’s nine provinces, could reconsider their support of Mr. Zuma if the party incurs major losses in the metropolitan elections. | Political analysts say that officials in the A.N.C., which has governed since the end of apartheid in 1994 and controls eight of the country’s nine provinces, could reconsider their support of Mr. Zuma if the party incurs major losses in the metropolitan elections. |
| Poor blacks make up a majority of the population of South Africa and constitute the bedrock of the A.N.C.’s support, but they appeared underrepresented in the marches on Wednesday. White South Africans represented a large majority of marchers in Cape Town, and their presence in other demonstrations was significant enough to elicit running commentary on social media. | Poor blacks make up a majority of the population of South Africa and constitute the bedrock of the A.N.C.’s support, but they appeared underrepresented in the marches on Wednesday. White South Africans represented a large majority of marchers in Cape Town, and their presence in other demonstrations was significant enough to elicit running commentary on social media. |
| “We’re not happy with Zuma’s leadership — corruption, no accountability,” said Lumkile Sizila, 41, a black man who was marching in Cape Town and who said he used to support the A.N.C. “We want a stable president who consults widely.” | “We’re not happy with Zuma’s leadership — corruption, no accountability,” said Lumkile Sizila, 41, a black man who was marching in Cape Town and who said he used to support the A.N.C. “We want a stable president who consults widely.” |
| Asked about the low turnout of black marchers, Mr. Sizila added, “I support this event, but we need black people, who vote for the A.N.C., at the forefront.” | Asked about the low turnout of black marchers, Mr. Sizila added, “I support this event, but we need black people, who vote for the A.N.C., at the forefront.” |