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“President Jacob Zuma is obliged in terms of the Constitution to inform Parliament if the Defence Force is deployed in cooperation with the Police. The impression is that the Defence Force was deployed in conjunction with the Police the past weekend in the Rustenburg/Brits area. In such a case section 201(3) of the Constitution is clear that the President has to inform Parliament immediately with reasons, the place where, the number of people involved and the period for which the Defence Force will in all likelihood be used. The Freedom Front Plus supports the cooperation of the Defence Force with the Police if the circumstances require it, but then Parliament, and through it the public should be informed as required by the Constitution,” Mr. Pieter Groenewald, the chief spokesperson on Defence and Military Veterans for the Freedom Front Plus, said.

“Parliament is at present in session and President Zuma cannot just inform the portfolio committee or the Joint Standing Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in terms of section 201(4) of the Constitution. It also has to be the President which informs Parliament and not the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans,” Groenewald said.