Zuma faces tough week as opponents plan to disrupt House speech

South African president Jacob Zuma. PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • South African President Jacob Zuma faces a rough week ahead after firebrand politician Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters party threatened to interrupt his State of the Nation address in parliament on Thursday.
  • Already, the opposition-run Cape Town has granted permission for at least three protest marches to go ahead on the day.
  • President Zuma last week offered to pay back a portion of the money spent to upgrade his private home in KwaZulu-Natal province, but his offer was rejected by the EFF and the Democratic Alliance.

PRETORIA, Monday

South African President Jacob Zuma faces a rough week ahead after firebrand politician Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party threatened to interrupt his State of the Nation address in parliament on Thursday.

The EEF wants the president to answer on why he fired the Finance minister late last year.

Already, the opposition-run Cape Town has granted permission for at least three protest marches to go ahead on the day.

But before delivery of the State of the Nation address, the Nkandla matter comes before the Constitutional Court on Tuesday.

President Zuma last week offered to pay back a portion of the money spent to upgrade his private home in KwaZulu-Natal province, but his offer was rejected by the EFF and the Democratic Alliance.

PRESIDENT FACES ROUGH WEEK

Last week, EFF’s Mr Malema demanded that President Zuma explain his decision to axe Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene before he talks about anything else.

Mr Malema said: “Part of what we’re doing is to speak to Zuma’s conscience, that we’re treating you like this because you’ve not respected the office of the president.”

Political analyst Fidelis Tshabalala thinks the president faces a rough week. “It’s definitely going to be a rough week for Zuma because there will likely be protests and the Nkandla issue is also coming to the courts, “ said Mr Tshabalala.

Last year, EFF members of parliament interrupted  the president’s speech to ask him when he would reimburse the money spent on upgrading his Nkandla home .
They were then forcibly removed from the National Assembly chamber.