SOUTH AFRICA’S ruling African National Congress cheered the defeat of an opposition bid to impeach President Jacob Zuma yesterday.
The motion supported by the liberal Democratic Alliance (DA) and ANC breakaway group the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was roundly defeated in the National Assembly on Tuesday night by 233 votes to 143.
Opposition MPs shouted insults at the government benches as their manoeuvre fell far short of the two-thirds majority required.
With the ANC holding 60 per cent of seats in the lower house, the vote was bound to fail.
The move followed last Thursday’s court ruling that Mr Zuma had breached the constitution in his response to the national ombudsman’s report into the building of a swimming pool and amphitheatre at his ranch.
In a case brought by the DA and EFF, the court ordered the president to pay back the costs of features including a cattle pen and chicken coop.
In his televised address to the nation on Friday, Mr Zuma apologised and said: “While correct in law at the time, the approach was subsequently demonstrated to be contrary to the constitution as stated by the Constitutional Court.”
The ANC parliamentary whip’s office pointed out that, despite opposition claims, the Constitutional Court did not find that Mr Zuma had broken his oath of office when he referred the matter to parliament and the police ministry.
It condemned what it called the DA’s “constant abuse” of the constitution, saying it made “a mockery” of parliament.
Meanwhile, the president announced that local government elections — the next test of the ANC’s popularity and organisational clout — would be held on August 3.