Statement from the Congress of the People (COPE)
ZUMA IS DIVIDING SOUTH AFRICA & THEREFORE VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION YET AGAIN
Zuma is an out and out divider. He is even dividing the churches now. Some people are mistakenly giving him the benefit for a different apology to the one he really made. Zuma apologised for the “confusion” that had been caused by his allowing the Nkandla matter to drag on and on.
He did not apologise for turning a blind eye to the massive building
programme that was taking place on his property nor for the many lies he
spoke and his arrogant mocking of MPs and all "clever blacks". He did
not apologise for breaking his oath of office.
He made it clear that he had no intention whatsoever of paying back any money for the upgrades at Nkandla. He was forced to change his tune only because he feared that the Constitutional Court would make a declaratory order against him. He acted not on conscience but expediency. He wanted to save his skin. His diversionary tactics have rent the nation asunder.
Section 83 of our Constitution requires very specifically that the President ‘promotes the unity of the nation and that which will advance the Republic’. Zuma is now further violating his oath by allowing deep ruptures in society to develop. South African society today is sharply divided because of Zuma.
On 31 March 2016 the Constitutional Court handed down a landmark decision. The response of Zuma and of the ruling party to that decision is scandalous. They paid lip service to it and carried on as though this was not a watershed moment in the life of our constitutional democracy . Paying back the money was not the only issue dealt with in the decision. There was that very important and significant question of culpability on the part of Zuma as well as of the National Assembly. Both had breached their constitutional obligations. The ANC had transgressed the Constitution.
The issue before us, therefore, is not one of forgiveness. The issue is one of constitutionality and rule of law. It is the latter issue that has remained unresolved because the ruling party has sought to make it go away. Transgression of the law has to have consequences and that is what the ANC is running away from. In the process, Zuma is splitting the nation and thereby failing in his constitutional obligation of promoting unity and doing that which will advance the Republic. He is doing the very opposite and that makes his stay in the Presidency totally untenable.
Once the apex court had found that the president had broken his oath of office there was no alternative for him but to step down. Instead he remains in office further violating the Constitution. Similarly, the ANC caucus is also violating the Constitution again by exculpating Zuma and allowing him to go on violating his oath of office as he divided the nation. South Africa is now divided and the creator of that major division is none other than Zuma.
He has to go.
Dennis Bloem
COPE Spokesperson
He made it clear that he had no intention whatsoever of paying back any money for the upgrades at Nkandla. He was forced to change his tune only because he feared that the Constitutional Court would make a declaratory order against him. He acted not on conscience but expediency. He wanted to save his skin. His diversionary tactics have rent the nation asunder.
Section 83 of our Constitution requires very specifically that the President ‘promotes the unity of the nation and that which will advance the Republic’. Zuma is now further violating his oath by allowing deep ruptures in society to develop. South African society today is sharply divided because of Zuma.
On 31 March 2016 the Constitutional Court handed down a landmark decision. The response of Zuma and of the ruling party to that decision is scandalous. They paid lip service to it and carried on as though this was not a watershed moment in the life of our constitutional democracy . Paying back the money was not the only issue dealt with in the decision. There was that very important and significant question of culpability on the part of Zuma as well as of the National Assembly. Both had breached their constitutional obligations. The ANC had transgressed the Constitution.
The issue before us, therefore, is not one of forgiveness. The issue is one of constitutionality and rule of law. It is the latter issue that has remained unresolved because the ruling party has sought to make it go away. Transgression of the law has to have consequences and that is what the ANC is running away from. In the process, Zuma is splitting the nation and thereby failing in his constitutional obligation of promoting unity and doing that which will advance the Republic. He is doing the very opposite and that makes his stay in the Presidency totally untenable.
Once the apex court had found that the president had broken his oath of office there was no alternative for him but to step down. Instead he remains in office further violating the Constitution. Similarly, the ANC caucus is also violating the Constitution again by exculpating Zuma and allowing him to go on violating his oath of office as he divided the nation. South Africa is now divided and the creator of that major division is none other than Zuma.
He has to go.
Dennis Bloem
COPE Spokesperson
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