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Zuma not fit to be President: DA

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Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has dismissed the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) objection to the nomination of Jacob Zuma as president of the country.

The DA’s James Selfe made the objection after African National Congress (ANC) Member of Parliament Story Morutoa nominated Zuma.

Selfe claimed that Zuma was unfit to hold office. But Mogoeng ruled that Zuma was fit to hold office in terms of the constitution.

“Honourable Jacob Zuma is a member of the National Assembly, having signed all the forms. I know that he is one of those who took an oath and not a solemn affirmations and therefore he is eligible for election into the office of the President according to the constitution,” says Mogoeng.

Selfe gave reasons why he felt Mogoeng should declare Zuma unfit to be president. He says that he objects the nomination of Zuma. “This nomination is irrational since his conduct during his previous term conflicted especially with Section 96 of the constitution”.
“In particular, he has not acted on the recommendations of at least two reports of the public protector, and he appointed a national Director of Public Prosecutions who was manifestly unsuitable and whose appointment was set aside by the constitutional court,” he added.

Zuma is constitutionally barred from serving more than two terms as the country’s first citizen.

Zuma was elected President-designate just before 17h00 on Wednesday, 21 May 2014. He was the only nominee for the position.

The first sitting of the Fifth Parliament was convened in terms of section 51 of the Constitution by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

The Chief Justice also presided over the election of the Speaker in terms of section 52 of the Constitution. During the vote for the Speaker, Baleka Mbete won 260 votes to the DA’s Nosimo Balindlela who received 88 votes. Total ballots cast amounted to 366; and there were 18 spoilt papers.

Former Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Lechesa Tsenoli was voted in as Mbete’s deputy.

Zuma is South Africa’s fourth President since 1994. He is preceded by Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. Motlanthe served for almost eight months after the governing-ANC took a decision to “recall” Mbeki in September 2008. A
fter the 2009 elections, Zuma was sworn in for his first term. Zuma is constitutionally barred from serving more than two terms as the country’s first citizen.

Zuma was elected President-designate just before 17h00 on Wednesday, 21 May 2014. He was the only nominee for the position.

The first sitting of the Fifth Parliament was convened in terms of section 51 of the Constitution by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

The Chief Justice also presided over the election of the Speaker in terms of section 52 of the Constitution. During the vote for the Speaker, Baleka Mbete won 260 votes to the DA’s Nosimo Balindlela who received 88 votes. Total ballots cast amounted to 366; and there were 18 spoilt papers.

Former Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Lechesa Tsenoli was voted in as Mbete’s deputy.

Zuma is South Africa’s fourth President since 1994. He is preceded by Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. Motlanthe served for almost eight months after the governing-ANC took a decision to “recall” Mbeki in September 2008. A
fter the 2009 elections, Zuma was sworn in for his first term. Zuma is constitutionally barred from serving more than two terms as the country’s first citizen.

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