EFF WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN PARLIAMENT MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN ZUMA DEBATE

1 March 2016

The EFF leadership has taken a decision not to participate in the motion of no confidence in Mr Jacob Zuma brought to Parliament by the Leader of the Democratic Alliance, Mr Mmusi Maimane.

The EFF refuses to legitimise a morally and politically compromised President of the ANC through another process of Parliament. Debate that members of Zuma African National Congress (ZANC) are going to vote blindly to protect an illegitimate President. The ANC caucus in Parliament have shown as they did before with the Nkandla matter that they are not interested in protecting the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and do not want to hold the executive accountable, instead they put the ANC first before millions of South Africans.

It is our view that such a debate on vote of no confidence in Mr Zuma requires substance and judgement of the highest court in land, the Constitutional Court, and it is then that we will reveal to all South Africans that, to the ANC the Constitution does not matter. It is in view of the position above that the EFF will not participate in today’s debate but will be present to attend to other matters of the House, to fulfil the promise made during the elections to bring issues affecting our people to Parliament.

Matters that are likely to be raised in the debate, which are going to be disregarded by the ANC, however legitimate and principled they are, are what the EFF has presented to a full bench of Constitutional Court Judges. The court abides by the Constitution and has proved as the vanguard of our justice system, and remains the only credible sphere of the state we have faith in. We will await judgement, and then take decisive action moving forward on what must be done.

The EFF in Parliament wrote to the Speaker of Parliament and the Leader of the DA to appeal to them to postpone the debate and allow finalisation of the Constitutional Court matter with no success.  The EFF will continue to use legitimate platforms and uphold the Constitution in the process of removing the illegitimate and compromised President who has undeniably failed to uphold the Constitution and true values of principled President.

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 1 March 2016