Kathrada Foundation promises to end ‘nightmare’ of state capture

With mounting reports on blatant state capture, corruption and the abuse of power by President Jacob Zuma’s government, civil society organisations are trying to ensure SA’s future is safeguarded.

Pledging unity, 25 groups will embark on a programme of action on Mandela Day, July 18.

Under the conference title “For the Future of South Africa”, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said preparations had already begun.

This would intensify pressure on “Zuma and his cronies”, and look at “immediate steps to halt state capture and put power back in the hands of the people”.

“The SA we live in today is not a dream – it is a nightmare. And we intend to stop that nightmare by ending state capture and looting, restoring respect for our constitution and beginning to rebuild SA,” the foundation said.

“These issues are clear to all of us who are here today: the SA we are living in is not the one that liberation movements fought for.

“It is not the SA, full of promise, that we began shaping after the 1994 elections. It is not the SA envisaged in our constitution.”

Close to 1 000 delegates will attend, representing every sector of society. This includes the youth, women, labour, business, faithbased groups and activist organisations such as Save South Africa, Section27 and Outa.

“As an immediate step, we will be discussing a national shutdown for August 7, the day before parliament debates the motion of no confidence, and calling upon all members of parliament to vote according to their conscience in the motion of no confidence in Zuma – whether the ballot is open or secret,” said the foundation.

At a gathering yesterday by the foundation and Save South Africa, the focus was on “what was needed to be put in place to ensure maximum participation in the conference and to ensure we see united action around issues of common concern”.

“We aim to do that by uniting all South Africans around a declaration – to be discussed and adopted at the Conference for the Future of South Africa – and a programme of action that will galvanise all sectors of society in united action, in a broad front, to push back against the abuse of power and the destruction of the state,” the foundation said. – yadhanaj@citizen.co.za