South African opposition leader,
Mmusi Maimane calls on
President Jacob Zuma to resign after allegations that a wealthy family close to him had influence over political appointments, which
Zuma denied. Shortly after, an exchange with the parliament speaker follows and Mmusi is told to leave.
RESENDING WITH
SCRIPT
SHOWS:
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH
AFRICA (MARCH 17, 2016)(
ENCA - NO
ACCESS SOUTH AFRICA)
1. PARLIAMENT
2. (SOUNDBITE)(
English) LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE (DA), MMUSI MAIMANE, SAYING (
PART OVERLAID WITH PARLIAMENT MEMBERS SITTING AND PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA):
"My question to you
Mr President: whether the
Gupta family has ever offered anybody a cabinet position in your term of office as president or is minister
Jonas in fact lying? because if in fact he is or he's not, is the president willing to take accountability for the decision and resign in front of the people of
South Africa?"
3. DA MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT CLAPPING
4. (SOUNDBITE)(English) PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA, JACOB ZUMA, SAYING:
"I appointed Jonas as deputy minister (of finance) that's what I offered Jonas.
I never offered Jonas ministry, that's why he's a deputy minister. If Jonas says he was offered by the
Guptas, I think you will be well placed to ask the Guptas or Jonas, don't ask me; where do I come in? I had no business with that."
5. MAIMANE AND SPEAKER, BALEKA MBETE HAVE A
BACK AND
FORTH OVER A POINT OF
ORDER
6. MBETE ORDERS MAIMANE TO TAKE
HIS SEAT
7. MBETE ASKS MAIMANE TO LEAVE THE
HOUSE, MAIMANE PICKS UP HIS
THINGS
8. DA MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT LEAVE THE HOUSE
9.
ANC MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
WAVE OFF DA MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
STORY: The leader of
South Africa's opposition
Democratic Alliance Party, Mmusi Maimane was ordered out of parliament on Thursday (March 17) after calling on President Jacob Zuma to resign in the wake of allegations that a wealthy family close to him had influence over political appointments.
Maimane wanted answers after
Deputy Finance Minister, Jonas Mcebisi said on Wednesday (March 16) that members of the Gupta family, who have close ties to Zuma, offered him a ministerial job last year.
"My question to you Mr President: whether the Gupta family has ever offered anybody a cabinet position in your term of office as president or is minister Jonas in fact lying? because if in fact he is or he's not, is the president willing to take accountability for the decision and resign in front of the people of South Africa?" questioned the DA leader in a packed parliament in
Cape Town.
Zuma denied being influenced by anyone in the appointment of cabinet ministers, responding to allegations by his own deputy finance minister that the Guptas offered him the job of finance minister.
"I appointed Jonas as deputy minister (of finance) that's what I offered Jonas. I never offered Jonas ministry, that's why he's a deputy minister. If Jonas says he was offered by the Guptas, I think you will be well placed to ask the Guptas or Jonas, don't ask me; where do I come in? I had no business with that," Zuma responded.
Dissatisfied with Zuma's response, Maimane attempted to raise a
point of order which the speaker of the house,
Baleka Mbete rejected. After a rowdy exchange between the two, Maimane was ordered to leave the chamber. DA lawmakers followed their leader out of the chamber, waved on by ANC members of parliament.
The government was rocked on Wednesday by suggestions that the Gupta family may have been behind Zuma's decision to sack the respected finance minister
Nhlanhla Nene in December.
Deputy Finance Minister
Mcebisi Jonas said the Guptas, whose businesses stretch from media to mining, had offered him
Nene's job but he rejected it. The Guptas denied making job offers to anyone in government.
- published: 21 Mar 2016
- views: 0