DA already started impeachment process against Zuma: Maimane

“If I was President Jacob Zuma‚ I would be preparing my letter of resignation.”

That’s how leader Mmusi Maimane reacted after the “Constitutional Court – the highest court in the land – found that President Zuma failed to uphold‚ defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land by disregarding the public protectors’ report”.

The DA‚ only minutes after Thursday’s judgment in the Nkandla matter‚ said it has “officially begun the process to impeach President Jacob Zuma”.

“This pivotal judgment confirms the DA’s long-held contention that President Zuma seriously violated the Constitution when he sought to undermine the public protector’s remedial actions by instituting parallel investigative processes‚ and his subsequent failure to implement her remedial action‚” said Maimane.

The impeachment process will be made in terms of Section 89(1) of the Constitution‚ which states: “The National Assembly‚ by a resolution adopted with a supporting vote of at least two thirds of its members‚ may remove the President from office only on the grounds of —

- a serious violation of the Constitution or the law;

- serious misconduct; or

- inability to perform the functions of office.”

“Today’s ruling is clear in this regard: President Jacob Zuma’s action amounts to a serious violation of the Constitution‚ and constitutes grounds for impeachment‚” Maimane said.