EFF will not participate in Zuma no confidence debate

The Economic Freedom Fighters will not participate in Parliament’s motion of no confidence debate in President Jacob Zuma, the party said.

Parliament is set to debate the motion for the second time in less than a year on Tuesday.

The motion was brought by the Democratic Alliance, following Zuma's decision to change finance ministers in December.

EFF spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said in a statement that the party had taken a decision not to participate.

"The EFF refuses to legitimise a morally and politically compromised President of the ANC through another process of Parliament," he said.

He said members of the ruling party were going to vote to protect Zuma.

"Such a debate on vote of no confidence in Mr Zuma requires substance and judgment of the highest court in land, the Constitutional Court, and it is then that we will reveal to all South Africans that, to the ANC, the Constitution does not matter.

"It is in view of the position above that the EFF will not participate in today’s debate but will be present to attend to other matters of the House, to fulfil the promise made during the elections to bring issues affecting our people to Parliament," he said.

Ndlozi said they had appealed for a postponement, and said they would wait for the outcome of the Constitutional Court case against the president.

The party had brought a case against Zuma in the Constitutional Court, calling for him to pay back a reasonable portion of the money spent on his Nkandla homestead.

The ANC said they would use the debate to reaffirm their support for Zuma, while the DA said it was about the unemployed South Africans.

In March 2015, the DA motion was defeated with ease by the ruling party.

A total of 221 MPs voted against it, 113 supported it, and eight chose to abstain.

Source: News24