Our deputy president has been fired …
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| Mbeki fires Zuma President Thabo Mbeki has sacked his deputy Jacob Zuma. The announcement was made during a special joint sitting of the two Houses of Parliament this afternoon, almost two weeks after Zuma was implicated in corruption during the Durban High Court trial of his former financial advisor, Schabir Shaik. Last week Squires sentenced Shaik to 15 years in prison for fraud and corruption. Squires found the two men had had a “generally corrupt” relationship. Mbeki told the joint sitting that it seemed self-evident that arising out of the judgment further legal processes would be undertaken in the higher courts. These would have a bearing on normal enquiries that law enforcement agencies might wish to undertake, and on follow up that Parliament might embark on in relation to any of its members. “The executive will therefore await the outcome of these processes,” he said. Both he and Zuma were acutely sensitive to the responsibilities they bore as prescribed in the Constitution. "We understand very well that we should at all times act in a manner that seeks to uphold, defend, and respect the Constitution. "We have had no precedent to guide us as we consider our response to the judgment by Justice Squires. We have therefore had to make our own original determination on this matter guided by what we believe is in the best interest of the Honourable Deputy President, the government, our young democratic system and our country. "I am fully conscious of the fact that the accused in the Schabir Shaik case have given notice of their intention lodge an appeal. “I am equally aware that a superior court may overturn the judgment handed down by Justice Squires,” he said. “However, as President of the Republic I have come to the conclusion that the circumstances dictate that in the interests of the Honourable Deputy President, the government, our young democratic system, and our country, it would be best to release the Honourable Jacob Zuma from his responsibilities as Deputy President of the Republic and member of the Cabinet.” However, all developments in the relevant legal processes would be monitored and responded to, Mbeki said. Mbeki appointed Zuma deputy president in 1999, and again in 2004. He was widely expected to succeed Mbeki in 2009. From the start, Zuma has maintained his innocence on the corruption allegations and pointed out he has not been convicted of any crime. According to media speculation, Zuma had refused to resign, leaving Mbeki with no choice but to fire him. Opposition parties repeatedly called for Zuma to step down or to be fired, but he received strong support from the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL), ANC Women’s League (ANCWL), and the Young Communist League (YCL). However, on Sunday, Zuma told a Cosatu meeting in Durban he was prepared to become an ordinary member of the ANC. "I have served as a branch member with no position (as an) ordinary activist, and I have served with some responsibilities in a branch, and I have served at many levels. “I will always be ready to do that, even today. The day the ANC says do this I will do it,” the SABC quoted Zuma as saying. Zuma’s dismissal could pave the way for Mbeki to use the opportunity to reshuffle his Cabinet. |
Well, someone might find this interesting.
It is a good thing IMHO - he’s been surrounded in a corruption cloud for a while, and after the court case of Shaik, the rest of the world might not have looked on president Mbeki favourable, have he not done anything.
Could not have been easy for him though …
I don’t know much about it Wihan. Getting rid of “generally corrupt” has to be a good thing though.
“Generally corrupt” is also an apt description of OUR political situation though… 
TG
Wihan, how did this happen? Is corruption a problem there?
Hi there !
Yes, unfortunately there are two types of government members over here.
Those that are there in service of the people, and those who think that because they are government they can do what they please.
There’s a thing that exploded a while ago about some MP’s that participated in a travel scam.
Quick search result
There’s always some story about some member of parliament being bribed for something, or someone advancing his own agendas.
Jacob Zuma was surrounded by a cloud 5 years ago when he ‘out of the blue’ received a Mercedes ML after he signed a multibillion Rand deal for some arms procurement. Allegedly got himself some other kickbacks as well.
They did a small investigation, but decided it wasn’t worth it chasing the deputy president and being wrong.
Now they found that there was bribes between Shabir Shaik and Zuma. Zuma was going to be the next president, so Shaik did him some financial favours to guarantee that his company gets used by Zuma once he becomes president.
Investigations followed, and Shaik (being a ‘normal’ citizen) was investigated, went to trial, lost and was convicted.
The court ruled that he was guilty of fraud, and ruled that Zuma was involved as well. Because Zuma was not on trial, he is still presumed innocent, but a public outcry started saying that the court found that relationship between Shaik and Zuma was ‘generally corrupt’, and therefore Zuma needs to step down.
This, as well as president Thabo Mbeki’s pledge to the G8 that he is once again commited to stamping out corruption in government, didn’t give him much of a choice.
Sounds a heck of a lot like American style democracy to me (typical politicians and lobbyists).
(Do I sound too cynical about the state of things today?)
“Generally currupt politician” is a redundant statement.
| Quote (phoo @ June 15 2005,12:29) |
| Sounds a heck of a lot like American style democracy to me (typical politicians and lobbyists). (Do I sound too cynical about the state of things today?) |
Welcome to the membership of the "Cynate" phoo.
TG