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Yesterday the Democratic Alliance (DA) received a response from the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Honourable Max Sisulu, denying our request to table an urgent question to President Jacob Zuma about his failure to comply with the Executive Members Ethics Act. The Speaker stated that the issue, although important, was not of so serious a nature that it required immediate attention. Given that the question we proposed regards the President's breaking of the law, and therefore his undermining of the Constitution, one wonders what would constitute a matter more deserved of immediate examination.

The flagrant disregard for the law, and the Constitution, that President Zuma displayed through his non-compliance is a matter of grave concern- made even more serious by the Speaker's decision to decline the DA the opportunity to publically call the President to account for his actions.

The rejection of our request is a further example of the ANC's determination to undermine the critical role that oversight mechanisms play in monitoring the accountability and transparency of government.

The DA will submit the question originally sent to the Speaker as a written question to the President. The question follows at the end of this statement.

President Zuma holds the most influential leadership position in the country. He has an obligation to act at all times in a way that is consistent with promoting the public interest. By undermining the rule of law through his flouting of the Executive Ethics Code, the President has challenged the very foundation of our constitutional state. The power afforded to him means he is not above the law - he must be a public defender of it. And subjected to its might, if needs be.



Question to the President of the Republic:

With regard to the President's non-disclosure of his financial interests:

1. (a) What are the full circumstances regarding your failure to comply with the requirements of Section 5 of the Executive Ethics Code; in particular, your failure to register your interests within 60 days of taking office, as required by the Code;
(b) How do you reconcile this failure with the requirements of the oath you undertook on being sworn into office, to "obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other law of the Republic"; and
(c) Whether you will make an apology to Parliament and the country; if not, why not?