The Congress of South African Trade Unions has noted the resignation of Higher Education Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana from his position, after allegedly being given an ultimatum by President Jacob Zuma. We welcome this resignation and believe that it will send a strong message to men in general, especially those in positions of power to learn to treat women with respect and also to stop gender based violence.

We hope that the president can also exact the same pressure to other incompetent and failing ministers in his cabinet. We would like to see Ministers like Mosebenzi Zwane, Faith Muthambi and Bathabile Dlamini also being held accountable for their failures.

The president himself needs to step down and such a decision will be very helpful to the country and its economy.

There is already deep concern that ours has become a cult like political system where power lies with President Zuma and as long as someone is in good books with him, they can get away with anything. We cannot afford to have selective accountability and selective outrage.

Issued by COSATU

Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)
Tel: 011 339 4911
Fax: 011 339 5080
Cell: 060 975 6794