South Africa weighs in on Julius Malema welcoming ConCourt Zuma ruling

Social media users have weighed in on EFF leader Julius Malema welcoming the Constitutional Court ruling against former president Jacob Zuma.

Zuma was on Tuesday sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after he failed to comply with an order to appear before the state capture inquiry.

The inquiry had asked that the former president be sentenced to prison for two years after he failed to adhere to a summons to appear before it. In February the Constitutional Court ordered Zuma to appear and give evidence at the inquiry. 

Malema hailed the ConCourt ruling as a win for democracy. 

“Thank you Constitutional Court of SA for protecting our democracy and once more proving we are all equal before the law. Strength comrade [former] president Jacob Zuma, this too shall pass,” he tweeted on Tuesday. 

Attempts by TimesLIVE to get further comment from Malema on his reaction to the ruling were unsuccessful at the time of publishing this story. Comment will be included once received.

Malema’s supporters commended him for his “attempt to get Zuma to comply with the court” earlier this year.

In February, Malema met Zuma at his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal and later alleged he’d encouraged him to testify.

A month after their meeting, Malema told a press briefing that if Zuma has nothing to hide, he must testify. 

On several occasions when he refused to appear at the inquiry, Zuma accused its chairperson, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, of being compromised and biased and launched an application for his recusal. 

The ConCourt ruling triggered responses from citizens and politicians. Some applauded the judgment, but his supporters, including Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus, were critical.

Here’s what was said about Malema’s attempt to convince Zuma to testify: