Top news items in major S. African media outlets

The following are highlights in major South African media outlets on Thursday.

-- Rating agency Standard & Poor's said on Wednesday it was concerned that SA's "political noise" was distracting the government from implementing policies that would enhance growth.

The agency emphasised that failure to arrest economic stagnation would mean a downgrade as it cut its growth outlook for this year to 0.8 percent from 1.6 percent in December. S&P has SA on negative outlook and just one notch above junk status. (Business Day).

-- More than two dozen representatives from civil society organisations called for "the South Africa we demand" and the removal of President Jacob Zuma from office on the steps of the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg this afternoon.

On centre stage in front of a black banner painted with the words "A new South Africa starts with a new president", members of the Anglican Church of South Africa, the Evangelical Alliance, the South African Christian Leadership Initiative, the United Front, several trade unions, the artists' coalition Corruption Watch and the Treatment Action Campaign addressed the public.(City Press).

-- CIVIL-society organisations have called on South Africans to rise and decide on a plan of action to push President Jacob Zuma out of office if he won't step down.

The campaign, which calls itself The South Africa We Demand, includes prominent religious, political and business leaders, unions and other community-based organisations. (The Star). Endit