Jacob Zuma survives opposition’s no-confidence motion

South African President Zuma survives no confidence vote!

Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, survived yet another no confidence vote in the parliament. The country’s ruling party, African National Congress (ANC) voted against opposition’s motion demanding for Zuma’s removal.

Zuma’s career in politics has been rigged with controversies and allegations. Corruption charges followed him into his presidency and have continued to haunt him hence. An anti-corruption probe last week raised fresh allegations of misconduct against him.
 
About the no confidence vote

• This is the third no- confidence vote that Zuma has survived in less than a year and fifth since 2012.

• Opposition leader Mmusi Maiman (Democratic Alliance) appealed to the members of the ANC party to vote against their leader.

• The motion was defeated easily with 214 of voting of MPs of ANC against the motion as opposed to opposition’s 126.

• The number of those who abstained from voting totaled 59.

Charges against Zuma

• Corruption report by South Africa’s watchdog raised fresh allegations of a possible criminal activity in Zuma’s association with the Gupta family, an Indian business family, accused of having undue political influence on him and some of his governance decisions.

• The report also found irregularities in a company’s transactions in which Zuma’s son has held an interest.

• The apex court of South Africa in 2016 found Zuma guilty of violating the constitution after he refused to repay taxpayers money used to renovate his private rural home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal province. He reimbursed the amount in September 2016.

Zuma’s term in office is scheduled to end in 2019, after which he will not be eligible to run for the post again. This is his second term.