Writing on the wall for Zuma

It’s time to put President Jacob Zuma aside, DA leader Mmusi Maimane says in the wake of the court ruling yesterday that a commission of inquiry into state capture must go ahead, and holding the president personally liable for wasted legal costs.

Maimane said Zuma had used every possible legal process to try and obfuscate the matter, so the costs order against him was appropriate.

“It is clear Zuma has never been interested in investigating state capture allegations ... It should not be a remedial action that a head of government must investigate impropriety that is alleged against him.

“He should, if he is committed to the values of the constitution, have been the first to take action. Zuma failed on that account and clearly his party acted to protect him in this regard.

“The ANC collectively can’t sit back and allow this matter to drag on. It is now time to set Zuma aside, rid SA of corruption and move on to ensure we have a clean government.”

The EFF’s Godrich Gardee said the sooner the president stepped aside the better. “We’ve always said Zuma is a constitutional delinquent and this time it has been proved that he is.

“We look forward to attaching and selling Nkandla and making that money available to taxpayers.”

Congress of the People leader Mosiuoa Lekota said his party had been saying since the ANC’s Polokwane conference that they could not follow the leadership of a man who said the ANC was above the constitution.

“This man has been acting as a law unto himself and the ANC has been comfortable with it. In fact, the blame for this situation must be squarely placed on the entire ANC leadership ... They have protected him and have themselves failed to uphold the constitution.

“For the first time, the court is going directly to the issue and saying ‘you who’ve done this, pay out of your own pocket’. It’s important because it’ll protect citizens from abuse of the taxes we’re paying.”