S Africa top court slams Zuma over renovations dispute

JOHANNESBURG: President Jacob Zuma flouted the Constitution in using public funds to upgrade his private residence and must repay the money, South Africa’s top court ruled on Thursday, sparking calls for his impeachment.

The Constitutional Court delivered a damning verdict on the 73-year-old Zuma’s conduct after a swimming pool, chicken run, cattle enclosure and amphitheatre were built at his rural homestead as so-called “security” measures.

The President had refused an ombudswoman’s orders to repay money spent on the upgrades, which became a symbol of alleged corruption and greed within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party.

Zuma “failed to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land”, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said in a strongly worded judgement.

The rebuke came as Zuma fights back against separate alle gations that a wealthy Indian family influenced ministerial appointments in a scandal that has rocked his government.

The Democratic Alliance ( DA), South Africa’s main opposition party, said Zuma’s “action amounts to a serious violation of the Constitution, and constitutes grounds for impeachment”. It added it had officially begun the process to impeach Zuma.

The DA brought the case to court with the far left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party.

“We call on the president to step down with immediate effect,” EFF leader Julius Malema said. “We would call upon the ANC to do the right thing and recall the president.”

The government said in a statement that Zuma respects the cour t’s judgment that he should re pay the state some of the $16 million spent on upgrades to his private home.

“The President will reflect on the judgement and its implications on the state and government, and will in consultation with other impacted institutions of state determine the appropriate action,” the statement said.