Zuma's absence in debate on CAR in Parliament is insensitive

The fact that South Africa's troops had been in the Central African Republic illegally and President Jacob Zuma's absence from Parliament to answer questions of parliamentary members about the issue is a slap in the face of the thirteen deceased soldiers.

Mr. Pieter Groenewald, the Freedom Front Plus' chief spokesperson on defence, said today in parliament that South Africa's Constitution demands of president Zuma, in his capacity as supreme commander of the country's armed forces, should explain the military action in the CAR himself.

According to Mr. Groenewald, the commander of the South African forces in the CAR had told the minister to not send any more soldiers to that country. "Was it therefore a political decision to deploy the soldiers?" he asked?

"We hear countries in the Central African Region begging us for military assistance. Of course they would beg us, because then they don't have to run the risk or use their taxes. South Africa should guard against becoming the useful idiot which always helps. It is time that countries in that region take care of themselves and South Africa's taxes are not wasted for those purposes," Mr. Groenewald said.

In reaction to the Minister of Defence, Ms. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula's serious attack on opposition parties and the media about the issue and her comments that they are insensitive, Mr. Groenewald said that what is really insensitive is President Zuma's absence.

The minister also said the media had a created a ‘warped and negative image' of the issue to ‘suite its own agenda'.

Statement issued by Mr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus chief spokesperson: Defence, April 23 2013

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