Faizel Patel, 2016-04-05
A motion to impeach President Jacob Zuma in Parliament has failed.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) led motion was debated in the National Assembly today.
No one abstained from the vote, with 143 Members of Parliament (MPs) voting the president should be removed, and 233 members saying he shouldn’t.
Opposition parties walked out shortly after the results were announced by Deputy Speaker Lechesa Tsenoli.
EFF leader Julius Malema branded ANC MPs traitors for voting against the Constitution.
“You must be ready for what is coming to you. You are again committing an illegal act by voting for wrong things. You are traitors. You have raped the Constitution.”
The motion comes after the Constitutional Court ruling that the president’s failure to ignore the public protector’s report was unlawful and directly violated the constitution as the supreme law of the land.
Meanwhile Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has added his voice to those calling for President Jacob Zuma to step down.
In an interview with Soweto TV, Manual says the Constitutional Court judgement against President Zuma represents a deep crisis.
“The violation of the key oath of office of the head of state, which I think is a deep crisis. I think it’s in all of our interests that the president actually steps aside.”
Last week former political prisoner and anti-Apartheid stalwart Ahmed Kathrada asked Jacob Zuma to submit to the will of the people and resign as president of the country.
Kathrada warned Zuma that his contribution to the liberation struggle stands to be severely tarnished if the remainder of his term as president continues to be dogged by crises and a growing public loss of confidence in the ANC and government as a whole.
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