JOHANNESBURG – Former ANC treasurer general, Mathews Phosa, is also calling for President Jacob Zuma to step-down.
In a speech delivered to business leaders in Limpopo tonight, Phosa is pleading with the governing party to take decisive action following Thursday’s Constitutional Court ruling.
Mathews Phosa has hailed the Constitutional Court ruling as a victory for the nation. He believes the Nkandla judgment places Jacob Zuma’s presidency under even greater scrutiny.
“The President’s occupation of his current position has become even more controversial than before. The whole country now waits with baited breath to hear whether he, and my party, the ANC, will do the right thing and relieve us of this crippling nightmare. We need a new beginning, fresh and selfless leadership and a collective that finds a cause bigger than itself.”
Phosa is calling on the ANC to ring the changes.
“We have an economy in trouble, society in turmoil, state capture in the making and rampant sycophancy. When will the Emperor realise that he is naked?”
The former ANC leader also weighed-in on the Gupta controversy and echoed similar calls made by Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, that the governing party cannot allow itself to be used by individuals to advance their own interests.
Phosa says that such individuals only tarnish the ANC’s image, and makes a mockery of the country’s constitution.
“Individuals cannot be allowed to capture the state to further individual goals. Using the African National Congress, with its proud history as a vehicle to inclusive change, there are people that hide behind the Party while attempting to make a mockery of our Constitution.”
On Thursday, the Constitutional Court delivered a damning judgment against President Jacob Zuma and the National Assembly over their handling of the Nkandla report by public protector, Thuli Madonsela.
The Constitutional Court, in an hour-long judgment, set out the duties of the President of the Republic of South Africa.
The court said the president failed to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land. It ordered that, amongst others, Zuma must personally pay an amount determined by the National Treasury within 45 days.
Read Phosa’s full speech below:
NM Phosa – Phalaborwa Chamber of Business – 31 03 2016 Final HC
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