Democratic Alliance is making a third bid to have the ANC leader removed.
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) has, once again, jumped to President Jacob Zuma’s defence saying there was no basis for Wednesday’s planned motion to remove him.
The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) is making a third bid within six months to have the ANC leader impeached.
The motion was to be debated on Tuesday in Parliament. The DA brought the motion after the Constitutional Court found that President Zuma’s failure to comply with the Public Protector’s remedial action was inconsistent with his Constitutional obligation.
ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe insisted that constitutionally there was no basis to remove the president. “In our view there is no basis for the proposal to impeach….because the provision of impeachment in the constitution is given conditions, that is why when in talks about contravention the degree in the emphasis in law makes a big difference, so from where we are seated there is no basis for that motion,” he said.
The ANC’s 20-member National Working Committee (NWC) held a closed meeting in Cape Town until midnight on Monday to discuss the matter. The NWC is responsible for the day-to-day running of the party.
The committee accepted the president’s apology over the controversial matter of his Nkandla rural home in KwaZulu-Natal province. “The NWC accepted the fact that the president apologised and said that it is humility that is necessary for any leader to apologise.
STAND UP AND APOLOGISE
It’s not an easy thing to stand up and apologise,” Mr Mantashe said.
President Zuma apologised in a national television address on Friday for the “frustration and confusion” caused by the affair, but made it clear that he had no intention of responding to calls to resign.
(READ: Pressure mounts on President Zuma to quit)
He said he would pay back some of the money as ordered.
The DA has called on ANC MPs to join them to remove President Zuma saying the matter transcends party politics and affects all South Africans.
ANC caucus spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the expectation is that members of parliament will be voting in line with party affiliations.
“No member of any political party since 1994 has ever voted differently from the party line. Even those opposition parties, they will be voting in accordance with their party line. Why would they expect differently from the ANC? ”
It is unlikely that Zuma will be in parliament for the debate, which means that it might escape the chaotic scenes which have regularly erupted when he is present.
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