Thousands of South Africans took to the streets of Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg on December 16 with the slogan “Zuma Must Fall” at their lips. Yet the reason for the protests only scratches the surface of South Africa’s current instability.

The protests were sparked by President Jacob Zuma’s decision to remove Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene and replace him with little-known David van Rooyen. South Africa’s currency, the rand, fell 9 percent against the dollar in three days, as investors lost confidence in its economy and government bonds slumped.

The next day, #ZumaMustFall was the number one trending topic on Twitter locally.

After four days of national outcries, Zuma appointed Pravin Gordhan to the position of finance minister, which he had previously held from 2009 to 2014. The rand bounced back up 5 percent.

In a statement, President Zuma explained why he reversed his decision:

I received many representations to reconsider my decision. As a democratic government, we emphasize the importance of listening to the people, and to respond to their views.

Critics find this explanation hard to believe. Little or no consultation was made with Zuma’s cabinet before the decision was made. The sentiment among many was that it was business as usual for the president. One commentator said he behaved in the “usual corrupt style that he is notorious for because Minister Nene was not playing ball the way he wanted him to.”

In September, thousands from across the country marched to protest ongoing government corruption, which they said was hampering development and widening the wealth gap. Among its demands were that President Zuma pay back some of the 246 million rand (us$16 million) spent on “security upgrades” for his personal home.

The political turmoil is happening during a risky economic period for the nation. South Africa’s currency has lost 25 percent against the dollar so far this year, and the stock market has been volatile. Unemployment still sits at around 25 percent, and inflation is at 4.8 percent and is expected to rise to 5.6 percent in 2016.

Overall commodity prices have slumped around 35 percent in the past year, and nearly two thirds of South African exports come from its mining industry. While China’s economy (the nation’s biggest trading partner) has slowed, Anglo America, which currently employs 72,000 South Africans, has announced it will be cutting 85,000 of its 135,000 jobs worldwide—which will cut deep into South Africa’s mining industry.

Underlying all these issues are South Africa’s continuing problems with crime. Its cities have murder, rape and carjacking rates that are among the highest in the world. These problems aren’t limited to the presidency of Jacob Zuma—they are issues that have contributed to the instability of South Africa for years.

#ZumaMustFall highlights the rampant corruption in the South African government. Whether or not the protests continue or succeed in toppling Jacob Zuma, the underlying instability in South Africa is bigger than just one man. For more information on the extent of that instability, read “South Africa: Where Corruption, Rape and Murder Are Normal.”