Soldiers call for Zuma’s removal from office

President Jacob Zuma. File photo. Image by: MIKE HUTCHINGS / REUTERS

President Jacob Zuma. File photo.
Image by: MIKE HUTCHINGS / REUTERS

The South African Defence Union (SANDU) has called for President Jacob Zuma to be removed from his post as president and as commander in chief of the country’s armed forces in the wake of last week’s Constitutional Court finding that he had violated the constitution.

Given the court’s ruling‚ Zuma could no longer be considered fit and proper to remain as commander in chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)‚ SANDU national secretary JG “Pikkie” Greeff said in a statement on Facebook.

“It is in SANDU’s opinion absolutely despicable that the President‚ as Commander in Chief of the SANDF‚ has transgressed the very Constitution which the Defence Force over which he holds command‚ is constitutionally charged with upholding.

“It is equally rejectionable that parliament‚ which is charged with overseeing that the SANDF upholds the Constitution‚ has aided and abetted the President in this unlawful deed which represents a complete sell out of the values of a constitutional democracy‚” Greef stated.

“How can those with unconstitutional dirt on their hands be expected to further oversee and or command the SANDF with integrity or any inkling of moral standing?

“SANDU‚ in the circumstances‚ calls on the Commander in Chief to be removed from his post and the parliamentary members to resign. SANDU supports any call for mass action and any other lawful means to remove President Zuma from office. This is not a political stance‚ but a moral and constitutional stance in support of our constitutional democratic values of the rule of law‚” Greeff added. (Source, Times Live.)    (Read also:  South Africa’s 5th Scenario)