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Julius Malema has called on South Africans to take to the streets in their numbers should the ANC fail to remove President Jacob Zuma following a damning judgment by the Constitutional Court today that he broke his oath of office.
Not only does the Economic Freedom Fighters leader want Zuma removed, but he also wants Parliament dissolved and has called for early elections.
In this morning’s hard-hitting judgment, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma failed to uphold and defend the Constitution and his oath of office because he didn’t comply with the remedial action of the Public Protector.
This was found to have been “inconsistent with the Constitution”.
Members of Parliament were also found to have violated the Constitution and their oath of office by failing to hold Zuma accountable for the R246 million spent upgrading his private home in Nkandla.
Malema said the EFF was vindicated and South Africans must work together in removing a “crook” from office.
“Everyone must come together. There must be unity of purpose [in removing Zuma]. It involves combining resources and mobilising the necessary strength ... even business,” said Malema.
He added: “Parliament must be dissolved. That Parliament has failed our people.”
Malema said the ANC must do the honourable thing and should not force the EFF or civil society to embark on “practical steps” to ensure Zuma does not finish his term.
Malema suggested that while the opposition was in the minority in Parliament and could not successfully push for Zuma’s impeachment, the issue could no longer be about numbers but superior logic.
“Numbers don’t work! Listen to superior logic and not the arrogance of numbers. No one there is honourable; they all failed.”
Instead, ANC members chose not to respect institutions of state but to respect an individual, he said.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng also labelled as unlawful a decision by Parliament to exonerate Zuma without subjecting Madonsela’s report to a judicial review process.
Meanwhile, Malema described Zuma as “an emperor walking naked” and said nothing would save him now.
“Zuma’s journey ends here. Anyone who wants to justify nonsense, that person will be undermining the Constitutional Court,” he said.
The court ruled that, in 60 days, the national treasury should determine the amount that Zuma must pay.
He had 45 days to pay for the chicken run, kraal and the amphitheatre, which Madonsela found were not security related.
