Motion of impeachment against Zuma to be debated next month

The debate was scheduled at this morning’s meeting of the National Assembly’s programming committee.

CAPE TOWN - A motion of impeachment against President Jacob Zuma will be debated in the National Assembly on 1 September.

The Democratic Alliance has brought the motion.

National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has agreed to allow its motion of impeachment against Zuma to go ahead.

The party said events that led to the illegal departure in June of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir was a violation of his presidential oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the country.

It was reported that Zuma and ministers from the justice cluster had apparently helped the Sudanese president flee the country.

The president left the country in contravention of a court order.

The date was scheduled at this morning's meeting of the National Assembly's programming committee.

The DA's motion calls for an ad-hoc committee to be set up to look into the circumstances of the Sudanese president's controversial exit from the South Africa in contravention with a court order.

The committee would have to establish whether Zuma violated the Constitution and the law.

And if so, it would recommend that he be impeached in terms of Section 89 of the Constitution.

But the party will have to look beyond its ranks for support for the motion.

It will need two thirds of MP's to vote in favour when it's debated.