DA requests court to declare axing of Gordhan and Jonas irrational and unconstitutional

5 April 2017

The DA has filed an urgent application with the North Gauteng High court to request that President Zuma’s decision to remove Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, and Deputy Finance Minister, Mcebisi Jonas, be set aside on the grounds that it was irrational, and therefore unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid.

The DA has further requested that all records of the decision to dismiss the Minister and the Deputy Minister be filed with the court within 5 days.

The consequences of Zuma’s unexplained midnight reshuffle has been plain for all to see: South Africa’s long-term foreign currency sovereign credit rating was downgraded to junk status by ratings agency, Standard & Poor’s, and the rand went into free fall.

Zuma’s decision is likely to cost yet more jobs and will have a lasting and calamitous impact on ordinary South Africans.

At all times, the President should act in the best interests of South Africa. Yet President Zuma does not and has never acted in the best interest of our country.

It is well-established that the exercise of every public power is subject to the principle of legality.  The Constitution requires that the exercise of every public power must be rational, exercised for a legitimate governmental purpose and exercised on the correct facts.

Yet, Zuma allegedly made this decision based on an ‘intelligence report’, which has been dismissed with contempt by many, including high-ranking ANC officials.

For too long Zuma has been allowed to act with impunity and has become and one-man wrecking ball.

It is high time that he is held to account and his malignant influence is removed.

The DA will continue to pursue all possible avenues to ensure the Zuma is held to account for putting his own self-interest before the best interests of South Africa.

Issued by James Selfe, Federal Executive Chairperson, 5 April 2017