President Jacob Zuma has failed to comply with the ruling, handed down last week Thursday by Judge Vally of the North Gauteng High Court, to hand over his reasons and record of decision for his disastrous midnight cabinet reshuffle, by 4 pm today.

Given that President Zuma has only filed an application to appeal handing over his record of decision, he should still have provided his reasons by close of business today, for the cataclysmic axing Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, and Deputy Finance Minister, Mcebisi Jonas

There is a material difference between a record of decision and the reasons for the decision. The record pertains to any and all documentation upon which he relied to make the decision.

The reasons for the decision goes to the heart of what lead to the decision, essentially the key information which then informed his decision, not all the information.

Moreover, the President’s legal team admitted in open court that the DA and South Africa are entitled to the reasons, if not the record.

It is therefore very strange that President Zuma now elects to produce nothing, not even the reasons to which his legal team conceded.

Although we are of the view that he should have complied with the ruling by Judge Vally last week, the fact remains that we have seen these tactics used ad nauseam by President Zuma, first in the Spy Tapes saga and now in his latest desperate attempt to dodge accountability.

We have already been in touch with Judge Vally’s registrar to request an urgent date to argue the application for leave to appeal.  We hope as early as next week.

The undeniable fact is that President Zuma does not believe he should be held to the same standard all other citizens are. He believes he is above the law.

That is why the DA will continue to employ all mechanisms necessary to ensure that he is held accountable for his actions. South Africa deserves nothing less.

 

Issued by DA