MBOMBELA – The national assembly is also set to debate a motion by the DA to impeach the president in parliament this afternoon.
A special meeting of the ANC’s national working committee was convened yesterday, to further deliberate on the judgement by the Constitutional Court, where the apology by the president, Mr Jacob Zuma was accepted.
A nation’s people, even those individuals with little more than a passing interest in the doings of those in the corridors of power, sat up on Friday night when its controversial president addressed them.
Bloodied from a damning judgement handed down by the Constitutional Court on Thursday, Zuma showed he was not beaten.
The highest court had found that the president had failed to uphold his oath of office to protect The Constitution, by disregarding the remedial action recommended by the Public Protector that he personally pay a portion of the non-security upgrades made to his Nkandla homestead with public funds.
Calls that he must step down came fast and loud. Zuma apologised for causing confusion and frustration, and thanked South Africa for listening.
On Friday secretary general, Mr Gwede Mantashe, told the country that asking the president to step down, as opposition parties and ordinary citizens were, would tear the ANC apart.
A little more than 12 hours later deputy president, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, was sworn in as chancellor of the University of Mpumalanga. If it was a show of unity that the ruling party ordered, it was exactly what he delivered.
He stayed the night and closed the two-day Mpumalanga Alliance Summit at Ehlanzeni Disaster Management Centre the next day.
- Read more: Deputy president welcomes Zuma’s apology
Following months of strife and public spats between the ruling ANC and alliance partner SACP in Mpumalanga, the parties emerged from the summit as a united front with Cosatu and South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco).
Cellphones were barred from the meetings, as were the media, which were summoned only to witness Ramaphosa’s statement.
Flanked by ANC treasurer general, Mr Zweli Mkhize, Ramaphosa read the alliance’s undertaking to work as one, and reiterated the stance of the ANC’s national executive committee, “welcoming the conclusion of the Nkandla matter”.
“We agree with the president that this matter was beginning to sow confusion and frustration among our people,” he said. “(We) appreciate the leadership displayed by the national officials of the ANC in the handling of the Constitutional Court outcomes.
“We welcome the timely response and humble apology and recommitment to the implementation of the Public Protector’s recommendations by the president,” said Ramaphosa.
He added that the party would embark on explaining to its members exactly what the judgement meant.
