President Jacob Zuma will soon turn South Africa into a failed state like Zimbabwe. The country is already slipping into becoming a mafia state.

These were the views expressed by Prince Mashele of the new civil society organisation Freedom Movement yesterday.

Mashele spoke during a media briefing by opposition parties and civil society groups in preparation for the National Day of Action on Monday, which will call on Zuma to step down.

The march, that will move from Newtown in the Johannesburg CBD to the Constitutional Court on Constitutional Hill, Braamfontein, will coincide with the highest court’s hearing of the secret ballot vote application brought by the United Democratic Movement (UDM).

“South Africa is fast becoming a mafia state just like Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe was destroyed by one man and his rogue elements. And that man is Robert Mugabe,” Mashele said.

He said Zuma and his supporters were already moving in the Zimbabwe direction.

“All South Africans must stand up and say we will never allow South Africa to be another failed state,” Mashele said.

UDM president Bantu Holomisa, speaking on behalf of all the parties bringing the court action, said Zuma’s continued stay in office posed a major threat to constitutionalism.

Therefore his removal should be a priority for all citizens, said Holomisa.

He said the Constitutional Court was the last line of defence against betrayal by those in power.

The parties argued that since Zuma was elected by parliament through a secret ballot, he must be removed by a secret ballot.

“We believe that a secret vote would provide the safest space for every individual MP to be guided by his or her free conscience, not by the dictates of political bosses who issue instructions to parliament from party headquarters.

“The constitution is the only instrument our people can and must use to neutralise this threat,” Holomisa said.

Save South Africa said it was important for a united civil society to remove Zuma.

African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Rev Kenneth Meshoe said South Africa must be a model to other countries.

“President Zuma doesn’t have the interest of the people, he wants to see the state looted to satisfy his greed,” Meshoe said.

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said Zuma was a criminal at the forefront of state capture.

In the process, he deployed lackeys such as Brian Molefe to do the job.

“This vote is a conscience vote; we must be clear that we are not going to vote on policy but vote out a criminal.”

Besides the UDM, DA, ACDP and Freedom Movement, leaders from the Congress of the People (Cope), Agang SA and the African Peoples Convention were also present.