Zuma easily wins no-confidence vote

Members of South African opposition party Democratic Alliance (DA) applaud after the speech of their leader during a no-confidence debate called by their opposition party, on the leadership of South African President, in the National Assembly on March 1, 2016, in Cape Town. President Jacob Zuma survived a no-confidence motion after a heated attack on his "reckless" handling of the economy. PHOTO | RODGER BOSCH |

What you need to know:

  • Mr Zuma’s African National Congress party’s overwhelming majority saw the no-confidence motion defeated by 225 votes to 99, with 22 abstentions.
  • But the president was pilloried by opposition speakers during the debate, which came on the same day that his lawyers fought a high court battle to prevent the reinstatement of corruption charges against him.
  • Pressure has mounted on the president against the background of an economic crisis sparked by his firing of two finance ministers within days in December.
  • The no-confidence vote, called by the DA, said Mr Zuma’s “irrational, irresponsible and reckless leadership has done immeasurable damage to the economy”.
  • The DA is also pursuing an attempt in the High Court in Pretoria to reinstate charges of corruption against Mr Zuma which were dropped in 2009, shortly before he became president.

CAPE TOWN, Wednesday

Beleaguered South African President Jacob Zuma easily survived a no-confidence motion in parliament on Wednesday after a heated attack on his “reckless” handling of the economy.

Mr Zuma’s African National Congress party’s overwhelming majority saw the no-confidence motion defeated by 225 votes to 99, with 22 abstentions.

But the president was pilloried by opposition speakers during the debate, which came on the same day that his lawyers fought a high court battle to prevent the reinstatement of corruption charges against him.

Pressure has mounted on the president against the background of an economic crisis sparked by his firing of two finance ministers within days in December.

“Our president’s quest for power has never been about creating a more prosperous South Africa,” the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), Mmusi Maimane, told parliament.

“It has always been about creating a more prosperous Jacob Zuma.”

DIFFICULT PERIOD

The no-confidence vote, called by the DA, said Mr Zuma’s “irrational, irresponsible and reckless leadership has done immeasurable damage to the economy”.

Mr Maimane told parliament that the country was going through its most difficult period since the end of apartheid 22 years ago.

Unemployment is running at 25 per cent and the economy is forecast to grow less than one per cent this year.

“Every one of the 8.2 million unemployed citizens in our country feels a sense of betrayal,” Mr Maimane said.

South Africa’s president is elected by parliament and if a majority of members support the no-confidence motion he is obliged to resign, along with his cabinet.

CORRUPTION CHARGES

The DA is also pursuing an attempt in the High Court in Pretoria to reinstate charges of corruption against Mr Zuma which were dropped in 2009, shortly before he became president.

The charges, which relate to a multi-billion dollar arms deal signed in 1999, were dropped allegedly because of interference in the prosecution case by his political opponents.

A statement from the presidency described the court proceedings as “an abuse of process by a political party in order to advance a political agenda”.

The ANC dismissed the DA’s no-confidence motion as “a frivolous stunt” designed to divert public attention from “the racism scandals embarrassing the party on an ongoing basis”.

The DA is seen as the political home of many South African whites after the end of apartheid, and the ANC has stepped up its attacks on alleged racism in the party ahead of municipal elections later this year.