Johannesburg – Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane on Saturday condemned President Jacob Zuma's participation in celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Constitution, saying that in his time as head of state Zuma has "only worked in antithesis to the Constitution".
This comes after Zuma led celebrations at Sedibeng’s Constitution Square in Vereeniging in Gauteng commemorating 20 years since the Constitution was signed into law by former president Nelson Mandela in Sharpeville on December 10, 1996.
Zuma pledged his commitment to the Constitution during the celebrations on Saturday morning.
In March, Zuma apologised to the nation after the Constitutional Court found that he had "failed to uphold, defend, and respect the Constitution as the supreme law of the land" following his failure to comply with the public protector's remedial action that he pay back a portion of the money spent on non-security upgrades at his private Nkandla homestead in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Maimane said South Africa needed to reflect on the type of society and leadership envisioned by the authors of one of the most progressive and liberal constitutions in the world.
The drafters had envisioned honest and accountable leadership from not only the president, but also from the representatives of the legislatures and the judiciary, as well as other bodies who derived their mandate and authority directly from the Constitution.
"It is therefore a shame that President Jacob Zuma, who derives his authority from the Constitution, has been found to have undermined and violated that which he swore, before the people of South Africa, to protect, uphold, and defend," Maimane said.
"The drafters of the highest law in the land never foresaw that such a compromised and corrupt individual would be entrusted with bringing the Constitution to life. In his time as head of state President Zuma has only worked in antithesis to the Constitution."
Maimane said it was incumbent upon all South Africans to reflect on the kind of society they wanted to build and the type of leadership that would be at the forefront of building the country.