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Rally against Zille in Cape Town | Rally against Zille in Cape Town |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Hundreds of supporters of South African President Jacob Zuma have protested in Cape Town against criticisms of him by official opposition leader Helen Zille. | Hundreds of supporters of South African President Jacob Zuma have protested in Cape Town against criticisms of him by official opposition leader Helen Zille. |
The demonstrators said they would no longer tolerate the Western Cape premier's "anti-African behaviour". | The demonstrators said they would no longer tolerate the Western Cape premier's "anti-African behaviour". |
The organisers - veterans of the former military wing of the governing African National Congress (ANC) - accused Ms Zille of calling Mr Zuma a womaniser. | The organisers - veterans of the former military wing of the governing African National Congress (ANC) - accused Ms Zille of calling Mr Zuma a womaniser. |
The Democratic Alliance leader caused uproar with her recent remarks. | The Democratic Alliance leader caused uproar with her recent remarks. |
The BBC's Mohammed Allie in Cape Town says almost 300 protesters turned up for the demonstration. | The BBC's Mohammed Allie in Cape Town says almost 300 protesters turned up for the demonstration. |
Should Zille not immediately cease her racist tendencies.. the association will not hesitate to implement a militant programme of action Veteran Kebby Maphatsoe | |
He says there was a militant mood as they gathered at the provincial parliament, warning they had the power to make the province "ungovernable". | |
Clad in army fatigues and singing protest songs, they demanded that Ms Zille apologise for her recent statement that Mr Zuma had put his wives at risk of contracting HIV. | |
Our reporter says they also want Ms Zille to change her all-male provincial cabinet, which has been called racist although it contains a black person and three people from the mixed-race coloured group. | |
Kebby Maphatsoe, chairman of the Military Veterans Association, had an ominous warning for the Democratic Alliance. | |
"Should Zille not immediately cease her racist tendencies that bring pain to all military veterans of South Africa... the association will not hesitate to implement a militant programme of action to take back the streets and our communities," he said. | |
'Not enemies' | 'Not enemies' |
Ms Zille was not at her office to accept the memorandum as she is part of a national three-day meeting of cabinet ministers and provincial premiers chaired by President Zuma. | |
Helen Zille campaigned for last month's election on an anti-Zuma platform | Helen Zille campaigned for last month's election on an anti-Zuma platform |
She told the state broadcaster on Tuesday that she did not have any problem with Mr Zuma. | |
"President Zuma and I are political opponents but we are not enemies," she said. | "President Zuma and I are political opponents but we are not enemies," she said. |
"Just yesterday President Zuma and I had a long and relaxed and cordial and professional telephone conversation. | "Just yesterday President Zuma and I had a long and relaxed and cordial and professional telephone conversation. |
"So that's how it works in a democracy. Sometimes you go head on but that doesn't take away from the professional, cordial relationship you have." | |
Self-proclaimed polygamist Mr Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 when he admitted having unprotected sex with his accuser, an HIV-positive family friend. | Self-proclaimed polygamist Mr Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 when he admitted having unprotected sex with his accuser, an HIV-positive family friend. |