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The president caused the chaos

Contrary to some who feel that the conduct of EFF parliamentarians was wrong when they launched the now famous #bringbackourmoney onslaught, I think not.

I in fact think we need to be bold and just admit it – it was a brilliant and effective theatrical performance, indeed a performance that reduced all opposition parties to irrelevance, while catapulting the EFF and its leader, Julius Malema, to new heights of recognition.

I accept that there are rules to be adhered to by (dis?)honourable members of the National Assembly and the NCOP, led by the (dis?)honourable President Zuma.  These rules dictate how members should conduct themselves within the confines of the assembly.

I also accept for instance that whoever speaks must be afforded time to make their point without interruption, thereby maintaining what others would call decorum in the assembly.

But what if what you are saying is a blatant obfuscation, a deliberate ploy to hoodwink members of the assembly and the entire country, such as it was the case when the president said he had replied comprehensively to the SIU report, the security cluster report, and, most importantly – the independent report of the Public Protector?

We know now that the president didn’t respond to questions raised in the Public Protector’s report because Advocate Thuli Madonsela had to write to him to point to this fact.

So, with this background in mind, what was so diabolically wrong with the EFF demanding clear cut answers from a man who is answerable to us, the electorate?

We all agree there was chaos in parliament last week.  But for me the main question is how did  this come about.  In other words, what caused those who disrupted proceedings to resort to such behaviour. That’s the question the nation must answer.

Let’s go back one step and maybe apply some dispassionate analysis here. The president of the Republic was asked a question and gave what was believed to be an inadequate answer.  In fact, he is believed to have dodged the question, hiding behind what is also believed to be an inadequate response he submitted to parliament a little over a week ago.

If we agree, then the person who is responsible for last week’s chaos in parliament is President Zuma himself.  Had he answered ‘when’ he will pay the money (for benefiting unduly in the Nkandla project), we would not be here.

So I say charge President Zuma for parliament disruption, not the EFF.  Impeach him for his scandalous disregard for the rule of law and the constitution – the very one he is supposed to defend and uphold. Impeach Zuma for disrespecting the nation, and for teaching our children through his actions that accountability belongs in the dustbin.  Stop wasting time pursuing the EFF and the Public Protector.  Rather make Zuma take responsibility for improperly benefiting in this whole sorry Nkandla saga.

As the Public Protector herself puts it, “if we all respect the Constitution & the law, there would be no crisis.”

President Zuma has no regard for the constitution and the law.  Remove him from the picture and let the country get some better leadership.

Come on, ANC.  I don’t think you are pro-Black but you sure can do better than giving us Zuma. You gave us Thabo Mbeki – one of the greatest intellectuals to come out of Africa (even though I fault him and the ANC 100% for selling Blacks out … a subject for another day).  You are in power now and you will one day be out of it. In the meantime, take us seriously and give us a better president.

This is not to suggest that I hate President Zuma. Far from it. But we need our rulers to do better.  We certainly deserve far better than our current president – not less.

(You can follow Maruping on twitter @TheDukeP)

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