Zuma Impeachment: Spotlight on upcoming municipal elections
A colourful debate in Parliament followed last week's damning Constitutional Court finding that President Jacob Zuma had contravened the Constitution which he took an oath to protect and uphold.
Zuma came under fire during yesterday's debate on a motion to impeach him in the National Assembly.
Opposition party leaders believe ANC MP's voted in a way that repeats the same brand of party loyalty they displayed when trying to protect Zuma in the Nkandla scandal and that the Constitutional Court condemned.
While ANC speakers insisted that the president has apologised and it believes that the Constitutional Court judgement does not require him to step down.
During the debate, DA leader Mmusi Maimane lashed out at the president and said the corruption within the ANC is so deep it was like a cancer.
Maimane and EFF leader Julius Malema directly addressed, among others, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa who assisted in drafting the Constitution.
Also read: Impeachment motion against Zuma unsuccessful
This difference of opinion is likely to be the subject of yet another court ruling as opposition parties prepare to seek advice on what Parliament is obliged to do when the head of state breaks his Oath of Office and contravenes the Constitution.
While this plays itself out, ANC leaders are starting to break ranks to voice concern about sticking with Zuma for the sake of keeping the party intact.
While tensions in the party over this matter look set to increase, the real litmus test for the ANC will be what voters say when they go to the polls to vote in the municipal election later this year and in the 2019 national election.
(File photo)