South Africa’s far-left party, Economic Freedom Fighters, on Thursday filed an application in the Constitutional Court to launch impeachment proceedings against President Jacob Zuma.
EFF said: “Zuma’s conduct around the so-called Nkandla corruption scandal renders him unfit to hold the high office of President.”
The President already defeated impeachment proceedings in April 2016 over the scandal, in which he was found to have illegally used taxpayers’ money to upgrade his country home in the village of Nkandla.
The Constitutional Court ordered him to repay a sum that the Treasury set at 7.8 million rand (about $600,000).
EFF was seeking a court order to force the speaker of parliament to institute impeachment proceedings.
“Most members of the governing African National Congress do not support Zuma, but they fear speaking out because he will expose their skeletons,” EFF leader, Julius Malema, said after filing the application.
The main opposition Democratic Alliance, meanwhile, said it would introduce a no-confidence motion against Zuma in parliament.
“The motion will follow his reckless assault on our economy,” DA leader, Mmusi Maimane, said on Twitter.
South Africa’s economic growth slowed to 0.3 per cent in 2016, while over a quarter of the workforce is unemployed.
Zuma has been implicated in several scandals related to corruption charges and his personal life.
Recently, his popularity has plunged even further over reports that he is planning to sack popular Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, whom many investors regard as an emblem of stability in Africa’s most industrialised economy.
On Wednesday, the funeral of anti-apartheid veteran Ahmed Kathrada turned into a rally against Zuma, with former President Kgalema Motlanthe reading out a public letter to Zuma in which Kathrada had asked him to resign.
NAN.
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