ANC should face legal action for defending oath-breaker Zuma: Cope

12 February 2016 - 14:23 By TMG Digital

The failure to recall President Jacob Zuma for violating “his oath of office by omission and commission” makes the African National Congress (ANC) “subject…to legal action as well”.That’s the view of the Congress of the People’s (Cope) Dennis Bloem who said Zuma “allowed ANC ministers‚ deputy ministers and MPs to frustrate‚ belittle and attack the public protector in clear violation…of the Constitution”.“The ANC-led government did nothing whatsoever in the last two years ‘to ensure the independence‚ impartiality‚ dignity and effectivenes’ of this Chapter 9 institution‚” said Bloem.“In fact‚ it acted repeatedly in contradistinction to those constitutional requirements.”Bloem went on to deride “Zuma’s latest gambit” in the wake of the Constitutional Court climb-down this week by his legal counsel‚ who conceded that the president accepts that the findings in the public protector’s report on spending at his Nkandla home are binding.“He cannot ever say that he has been eager and willing to pay back the money and that he left no stone unturned to pay up and put the matter to bed‚” said Bloem.“Instead‚ he used every stratagem‚ aided and abetted by ANC MPs and ministers‚ to wriggle out of paying back any money at all.”Bloem took aim at the “error of law” argument Zuma’s counsel took in court this week‚ saying: “They cannot continue to plead ignorance of the law and of the constitution when‚ in fact‚ they are continuing to be openly defiant of both.“The ANC knows that President Zuma violated his oath of office by omission and commission.“Their failure to recall him must therefore subject all of them to legal action as well.“The supreme law of the land must remain sacrosanct and MPs and ministers who will continue to buttress the president in the face of his undermining the constitution‚ will have to be charged for failing their respective oaths of office too.“It is untenable for President Zuma to remain in office. The MPs and Ministers who are continuing to prop him up are committing an illegal action.”..

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.