Mr President I was one of the South African civilians who felt your plight when the ANC membership came out in public, declared you as their choice to succeed then President, Thabo Mbeki. Amidst all those campaigns and supportive orations, you were inundated with a spate of accusations, lawsuites and legal battles, all seemingly set to tarnish your credibility as a ready candidate. This strife carried on between 2008 - 2009 (I stand to be corrected).
This was obviously all very difficult for you and your family, as well as your suppoters. Though you showed great stamina and resilience through it all which I found really impressive. I was exposed to the earlier part of your heated legal battles, when your 'Pietermaritzburg Court appearances' drew my town to a standstill, with major road closures and all the hype surrounding the occations. This was during 2007, when I was in my final year of high-schooling.
I supported you in your odessy, but also with a sense of pride that a 'Zulu man' from KwaZulu Natal was to become, not only President to the ANC, but was subsequently going to be crowned 'President of the Republic of South Africa', and when you eventually were inaugurated - you became the first political figure (excluding Nelson Mandela) that I put up a poster of on the wall in my room.
In the interviews prior to taking-on state duties, you you'd promised to (as you put it) 'hit the ground running', which I honestly believe you did, with all the changes in the operations, you presented an element of hope and change to South Africa. The country owes a great deal of gratitude to you for the number of advances and achievements earned during your tenure, as well as some great initiatives by your foundation and family.
I can't recall when it all started going awry, but the recent developments have pushed me to write this letter to you, urging that you heed the calls, calling for you to step down. This will not be becuase you have utterly failed on your duties or meaning that you aren't capable of steering South Africa to further heights, however this is all in the interest of the country and its democracy.
Thinking back to the suffering that the South Africans endured during the dark times of the county's history, and the appalling scenes elsewhere, where disgruntled civilians had to resort to violent campaigns trying to force the change they wanted - you will hence agree that such will not be fit for a democracy, our democracy.
Now looking back at all the rebukes by the world to some of your utterances and or lifestyle developments, I feel that it is clear that whatever you do or say will continue contradicting with 'today's accepted ideals'. I then infer that you (despite meaning well), come across as being an irrelevant figure with the masses today.
Let's agree that you have pushed certain bounderies yourself in efforts to keep foes at bay, this will sound like typical unfounded accusations but, what is this we hear about Julius Malema, Premier Cassel Mathale and the likes being investigated for irregularities blah blah blah?
What is this we also hear of about 630 or more branches of the ANC "failing to meet the requirements" and hence cannot submit any list of their own candidates to contend for leadership positions at Mangaung?
I am very mindful of the fact that anyone who has a case to answer to must stand trial, as well as the fact that there are established processes and procedures that those branches had to abide, but the timing of all these incidents certainly triggers questions or suspicions - Mr President you must agree!
After negative researches done, showing your slide in popularity, internal party squabbles and attacks and defamations from various artists, don't you agree it's time? And don't fret, I can bet you that none of your successors will enjoy the comfort of that seat long enough either.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully
Sanele Khumalo
