ANC saves Zuma as vote to impeach president fails
Parliament speaker refuses to recuse herself from debate
CAPE TOWN // South African president Jacob Zuma survived an impeachment vote in parliament yesterday that was launched after the constitutional court ruled he ignored an order to repay state funds spent on his private home.
Mr Zuma, who did not attend the proceedings, had the support of the African National Congress ( ANC), which controls almost two thirds of the assembly. He won with 233 politicians voting against the impeachment motion, while 143 voted in favour.
ANC politicians argued the constitutional court had not ordered the president’s removal, and that he had responded appropriately to its ruling.
“It is the [ Democratic Alliance], and not the constitutional court, that said the president had made a serious violation of the constitution,” deputy justice minister John Jeffery told parliament, referring to the main opposition.
“The president acted in good faith and in the justified belief that he was acting within the constitution.”
Following the vote, Democratic Alliance party leader Mmusi Maimane said: “Today it will be recorded that the ANC members of this parliament defended a crooked, broken president, rather than the constitution and the rule of law.”
The ruling by the nation’s highest court and the impeachment vote mark a low point for Mr Zuma’s seven-year-old administration, which has been marred by scandal.
Criticism of his government has intensified since December when Mr Zuma replaced his respected finance minister Nhlanhla Nene with a little-known politician, prompting a run on the rand and the nation’s bonds.
Parliament speaker Baleka Mbete refused to bow to opposition party demands to recuse herself from the impeachment debate on the grounds that her credibility and impartiality had been compromised.
The court also ruled that parliament violated the constitution when it failed to hold Mr Zuma to account and sought to overrule public protector Thuli Madonsel’s findings.