×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

EFF demands Zuma be silenced in Parliament

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu. Picture Credit: Gallo Images
EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu. Picture Credit: Gallo Images

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema led his party in objecting to President Jacob Zuma speaking in Parliament‚ stating “we are committing a constitutional blunder by allowing this President to speak“.

The EFF simultaneously published a letter to the Speaker of Parliament‚ Baleka Mbete‚ stating its reasons to demand that Zuma should be prevented from addressing the National Assembly.

The letter reads:

ECONOMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS’ DEMAND THAT MR. JACOB ZUMA MUST BE PREVENTED FROM ADDRESSING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

Dear Speaker‚

We write to you to demand that you must urgently prevent Mr. Jacob Zuma from answering questions in the National Assembly on the 13th of September 2013 because he has lost the Constitutional right and statue to respond to anything as a President of South Africa.

The EFF has on several occasions written to you to request that disciplinary proceedings should be instituted against Mr. Zuma because the Constitutional Court has unanimously ruled that in his defiance of the remedial actions of Public Protector‚ Mr. Zuma has failed to uphold‚ defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land.

The only correct interpretation of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on Mr. Zuma is that he has broken the oath of office and violated the Constitution. This therefore renders him personally and individually unsuitable to occupy the office of President of the Republic of South Africa. When he was sworn in as a President‚ Mr. Zuma vowed before the whole nation that he will uphold‚ defend and respect the Constitution. It is common cause that he has not done so.

If Parliament continues to treat Mr. Zuma like a legitimate President‚ the institution will be undermining the Constitution; violating the oath that establishes the Office of President and‚ and denigrating South Africa’s Constitutional democracy.                                        

It is on these basis that we write to demand that you as the Speaker of the National Assembly‚ the head of the legislative arm of the State‚ must prevent Mr. Jacob Zuma from speaking in Parliament. Parliament must instead be seized with the other business of the day‚ more especially the Urgent Motion of Public Interest tabled by the EFF on the current state of the South African Airways.

Regards‚

Floyd Shivambu‚ EFF Parliamentary Chief Whip

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.