DA applies to intervene in JZ impeachment case

The Democratic Alliance today filed an intervening application with regards to the Zuma impeachment case, which is currently before the Constitutional Court. In this application, the DA asks to be granted leave to intervene as the fourth applicant in the impeachment proceedings.

On April 5, 2016, the DA brought a motion to the Constitutional Court to impeach the president after the Nkandla judgment, which found – among other things – that President Zuma “failed to uphold, defend and respect the Constitution because a duty to repay the money was specifically imposed on him through the Public Protector’s constitutional power”.

The DA states that at the time “there ought to have been a mechanism through which a prima facie case against President Zuma ought to have been formulated”.

“It is our view that not only did the National Assembly breach its constitutional duties by failing to institute effective impeachment investigations against President Zuma, but further breached these duties by failing to create and implement effective mechanisms to allow for impeachment investigations and hearings, ahead of a parliamentary vote.

“After reviewing the head of argument made by the other applicants, the DA believes that our submissions will provide new evidence which will be of assistance to the court.”

Read the full statement here.