South Africas Zuma survives impeachment vote

South Africas Zuma survives impeachment vote

South African President Jacob Zuma survived an impeachment vote in parliament on Tuesday that was launched after the constitutional court ruled that he ignored an order to repay state funds spent on his private home.

Zuma had the support of the African National Congress (ANC), which controls almost two-thirds of the assembly. The president won with 233 lawmakers voting against the impeachment motion, while 143 voted in favour. Zuma did not attend the proceedings.

The debate was delayed for more than an hour after the opposition demanded Speaker Baleka Mbete recuse herself, stating that she was also cited in the case against Zuma.

Following consultations with lawmakers, Mbete ruled that she would preside over the debate after which a vote on the impeachment motion was taken.

Former South African finance minister Trevor Manuel, who served under Nelson Mandela for 11 years, had early Tuesday called for the resignation of President Zuma after the scathing constitutional court ruling over state spending on his private home.

“I think it’s in all our interest that the President actually steps aside,” Manuel said in an interview published online by the Soweto TV channel as Zuma faced an impeachment debate in parliament.

The court had last week ruled that Zuma breached the constitution by ignoring an order to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent on his private home.

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