[All Africa] There are growing signs the tide has indeed begun to turn against South African President Jacob Zuma and his supporters. The politics of patronage is no longer working as it used to when Zuma's defenders could be rewarded for their efforts with promotion, tenders, or a lucrative revolving door to corporate directorships.In addition, his power base is in a state of increasing disarray. Zuma came to power on a campaign driven by the African National Congress Youth League, Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), and the South African Communist Party. Today the youth league is a shadow of its former vibrant self. The trade union federation has split, with large unions such as the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union opposing him. The Communists are now strident in condemning state capture.
For the moment Zuma's supporters control the ANC's levers of power. But an unprecedented and growing army of ANC veterans, whose service to the party goes back to the 1950s, like Ahmed Kathrada, Andrew Mlangeni and Ben Turok, issue public protest upon public protest.
Most devastating of all, the ANC's chief whip in parliament, Jackson Mthembu - whose very job description includes caucus discipline - backs critics of the ANC's current executive. The chief whip would certainly not have issued his statement that the party's leadership should resign unless he had taken the feeling of the majority of his caucus.
In short, Zuma's critics within the ANC are emboldened to make protest upon protest, with clearly growing momentum. There is a sense that the Zuma machine within the ANC has begun to grind to a halt.
Anyone remember the Marikana mine protestor massacre? Keep an eye on Jacob 'Shower Head' Zuma. He'll be letting go with volleys of small arms fire before he climbs down from his tower.