Malema strikes over al-Bashir and judiciary

06 August 2015 - 17:19 By RDM News Wire

EFF leader Julius Malema says he did not support the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on an international warrant in South Africa. Speaking during President Jacob Zuma’s question and answer session in parliament‚ Malema signalled the arrest could have made SA a pariah on the continent if an African leader was arrested here.However‚ he tackled Zuma over his justification – repeated today – that the African Union had invited al-Bashir to attend the summit and that as a consequence he would have had diplomatic immunity.He said that he did not support government ignoring a court order to enforce the International Criminal Court’s warrant‚ and that the “AU as host” argument should have been made to the court‚ when it was hearing the matter.In reply‚ Zuma merely welcomed Malema's view on the arrest not being in African interests and said it was worthy of further discussion.The DA brought a motion in parliament recently‚ accusing Zuma and the Cabinet of breaching the Constitution and the rule of law when they facilitated the escape of al - Bashir from SA in June.Malema also questioned Zuma over his impending meeting with the country’s top judges following a spate of criticism against the legal fraternity by ANC politicians.He said while political parties were entitled to express views on any topic in the country‚ a Cabinet Minister at an official engagement should not.Singling out Police Minister Nathi Nhleko for his accusatory statement that “some elements of the judiciary meet with characters to produce certain judgments”‚ Malema told Zuma: “He is going to compromise you”.Zuma told the House that it was the first he had heard of this comment by Nhleko.His meeting with the judiciary takes place later this month.Meanwhile‚ much of the presidential question and answer session today went ahead with minimal "points of order" after parliament's introduction of a new rule that unruly MPS could be evicted by the protection services...

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