‘It’s over Helen Zille’s dead body you will find Zuma under the same roof with a traitor’ − MK party

The uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK) said its president Jacob Zuma will only attend the opening of parliament over Helen Zille’s dead body.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to make his address to parliament on Thursday, marking the beginning of the work of the seventh administration.

In a media briefing in Cape Town on Wednesday, parliament’s presiding officer and chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane confirmed the guest list to this year’s opening of parliament included former presidents Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma.

Zuma will not attend opening of parliament

With Zuma facing disciplinary action from the ANC for bringing the party into disrepute after forming and campaigning for the MK party while still an ANC member, this would be the first time Zuma would have attended the opening of parliament as an opposition leader.

MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela was scathing in a post on X that Zuma will not be attending the opening of parliament.

“Those that think president Zuma will attend the opening of parliament led and addressed by Cyril Ramaphosa are totally dislodged from reality. It’s over ‘Helen Zille’s’ dead body that you will find president Zuma under the same roof with a traitor addressing him and the nation!!”

Those that think President Zuma will attend the Opening of Parliament led and addressed by Cyril Ramaphosa are totally dislodged from reality. It’s over “Helen Zille’s” dead body that you will find President Zuma under the same roof with a traitor addressing him and the Nation!!

— Nhlamulo Swabihi Ndhlela Ntukulu Wa Ka Moyane (@NhlamuloNdhlela) July 17, 2024

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Zuma barred from standing for election in National Assembly

While Zuma has been invited to attend the opening of parliament, the Constitutional Court in May found that he was not eligible to stand for election to the National Assembly.

In a unanimous judgment, the apex court found that there was no difference between a conviction of a criminal offence and civil conviction for contempt of court.

“This court concludes that Mr Zuma was convicted of an offence and sentenced to more than 12 months for the purposes of Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution and is accordingly not eligible to be a member of and not qualify to stand for election to the National Assembly until five years have elapsed since the completion of his sentence,” said Justice Leona Theron while reading the judgment.

Election results

Meanwhile, the Electoral Court has agreed to the Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) request to hear the MK party’s matter, challenging the results of the recent national and provincial elections.

This is despite the MK party withdrawing its bid before the Electoral Court.

In a notice, the Electoral Court said the matter has been set down for a virtual hearing on Monday, 29 July 2024, at 9am.

The notice followed a request, on 5 July 2024, by the IEC for the matter to proceed because the MK party made “serious allegations” about the credibility of the May elections.

Zuma’s party came third at the polls, making it to parliament for the first time with 58 seats in the National Assembly.

ALSO READ: Electoral Court to hear MK party’s election challenge following IEC’s request