Parliament’s sub rules committee is moving with speed to finalise the rules guiding the impeachment of President Jacob Zuma. This follows the Constitutional Court ruling that directed Parliament to implement these rules without delay.
The lawmakers have cut short their holiday to finalise the impeachment rules.
The draft rules will be finalised by next Friday. Among the challenges is how to prevent political considerations from overriding factual findings of constitutional violations by a President.
EFF Mbuyiseni Ndlozi says:”If we can vote that there must not be an impeachment process, then we are no longer within the regime of the Section 89. So we ought to say what kind of a process allows the impeachment to happen that is for it to be referred for the impeachment process to happen without it being blocked by the politics.”
Other political parties want clarity on the violations that are impeachable, as well as the role of the Speaker in processing motions of impeachment.
DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen says: “What is our common understanding, as subcommittee rules, the rules committee and parliament ultimately what is a serious violation otherwise we going to end up with skirmishes a whole way down the process.”
Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso says: “We have to grapple with the vetting process. So when a member tables the motion, who vets the motion, to ensure that, it complies with these rules.”
At least one African National Congress MP says this is a process that will restore the dignity of the President.
The Committee has now resolved to probe three options to undertake the impeachment process.
These include a Panel of Judges or an ad hoc Committee of lawmakers or a combination of both.
Meanwhile, the EFF says it wants the rules to be adopted next month and an impeachment motion tabled against President Jacob Zuma in March.
Click video below:
