EFF STATEMENT ON JACOB ZUMA'S PAYING BACK THE MONEY:
12 September 2016
The Economic Freedom Fighters notes that Jacob Zuma has paid back the money as directed by the Public Protector and the Constitutional Court. The EFF welcomes the indisputable fact that they money was paid because of the EFF's insistence and persistence that the remedial actions of the Public Protector must be complied with.
It was through EFF's efforts and relentless struggle that Zuma paid back the money on the undue benefits he received through the largely corrupt construction of his private residence in Nkandla. The EFF's work on anti-corruption and undue benefits to politicians should be celebrated by all South Africans because South Africa's fiscus has additional money from Mr. Zuma.
The anti-corruption work of the EFF should be celebrated because it took our Organisation 2 years to stop the Nkandla corruption, whilst others had failed for many years. The anti corruption work of the EFF should be celebrated because the ruling party continues to harbor and protect corruption.
South Africa should celebrate the fact that no one under constitutional democracy is above the law, and that even a parliamentary majority should exist within the laws that govern our society. The ANC has demonstrated throughout the Nkandla debacle that they do not respect Parliament and the Laws that govern our country and will do everything to undermine the Constitution.
The EFF defeated defenders of corruption, the ANC, which unanimously defended Zuma and protected him from being held individually accountable. Now that the money has been paid, the EFF will seek legal advise to establish whether Mr. Zuma should be held criminally liable for being a recipient of criminal proceeds, since he has accepted that he unduly benefited. The EFF will do this because in the immediate aftermath of the Public Protector report on Nkandla, we opened a criminal case against Mr. Zuma in Sunnyside police station and we still hold the view that there was a certain degree of criminality in his actions.
The EFF will also seek further clarity on the main source and principle that led to a Mutual Bank (VBS Mutual Bank), which is supposed to benefit ordinary people in Vhembe, granting a loan to Mr. Zuma. We will do so to prevent a possible situation where monies are illegally moved in protection of one individual, whom the Constitutional Court said should be individually and personally liable for the non- security upgrades.
The EFF will also write to the relevant authorities, particularly the National Prosecutions Authority and Special Investigations Unit to follow up on the progress made in recovering the money that was overpaid to suppliers in the construction of Mr. Zuma's private residence.
At all times, the EFF will remain consistent in the war against corruption because corruption is slowly but surely destroying South African society and will reverse the gains of political freedom.
Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 12 September 2016
