Save South Africa convener Sipho Pityana repeatedly blasted President Jacob Zuma at the campaign's "real State of the Nation Address" (Sona) in Cape Town.

Pityana told hundreds of people at St George's Cathedral on Wednesday that Zuma had lost the trust of everyone in South Africa, including his own party.

They had "absolutely no confidence" that he is capable of addressing reality in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in Parliament on Thursday.

"We are no longer confident in your leadership. You are not trusted by civil society. You are not trusted even by your own party," Pityana said.

"Now you know that ANC [African National Congress] members have urged you to step down, not only as president of the country, but as leader of that esteemed organisation."

He said Zuma had brought shame to a "glorious movement" that brought liberation to the country.

'Bunch of crooks'

"Here is a leader who thinks our hard-won freedom and right to self-determination can be handed over to a gang of leaders who think they can steal from the poor.

"He prefers to be a kortbroek, a spanner boy, a runner for a bunch of crooks and criminals," Pityana said.

"In President Zuma we have a wounded tiger who is sowing destruction, both in his own party and on our land as he seeks to regain lost ground.

"On Thursday, he will dish out a litany of state boasts to cover a litany of failures."

Pityana also addressed issues of racism, xenophobia, violence and Zuma's leadership as the tragedy that saw 94 mentally ill patients die after being transferred from Life Esidimeni unfolded."While the entire nation is mourning, Zuma has nothing to offer but a cold press statement."

He said a real president would have gone out to console families, and show compassion.

"A real president would order the national flag to be flown at half-mast, and call for a national day of mourning, as we grieve a devastating indictment of the national health system."

Motion of no confidence

His lack of leadership in the matter of the patients' deaths, as with the Marikana massacre, shows Zuma's attitude to the poor and the marginalised.

"Our nation is experiencing deep pain, thirst and hunger, while those in power turn their backs. They are eating away at our nation with their corruption and their abuse of power.

"They feel entitled, that it is their turn to eat."

He also said Zuma must not bother to present a new "radical" agenda to include black people in the economy, asking him to instead focus on the progress, or lack thereof, he has made in eight years as president.

Pityana said the period from 2002 to 2007 under former President Thabo Mbeki saw the fastest growth of the black middle class, 4.5% in GDP growth, and a decrease in unemployment.

He said BEE policies under Mbeki saw the promising emergence of black leaders.

Pityana called on South Africans to ensure that Thursday was the last Sona Zuma would give.

He asked South Africans to sign Save SA's motion of no confidence online, and also pleaded with them to do what they can to stop Zuma's proposed nuclear deal.

The campaign said the phone numbers of MPs would be made available on its website so citizens can phone their MPs personally about the deal.