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![South African President Jacob Zuma has been at odds with some members of parliament recently in regards to his ties with a powerful business family [Xinhua]](http://thebricspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/135091073_14552331993971n.jpg)
South African President Jacob Zuma has been at odds with some members of parliament recently in regards to his ties with a powerful business family [Xinhua]
“Parliament is not going to tremble and buckle just because the president’s lawyers said it’s unconstitutional. If the presidency’s lawyers are wrong, they’re wrong,” Chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance Yunus Carrim said.
Zuma had referred the bill back to legislators saying some of its provisions do not stand up to constitutional scrutiny, particularly calling a clause about “warrant-less searches” into question.
According to Zuma, this falls short of the constitutional benchmarks required for the provision not to unjustifiably limit the right to privacy.
Zuma’s opponents believe that the president is trying to stall the passing of the bill in parliament allegedly in a bid to shield his business interests, including his relations with wealthy Indian Gupta family who have been accused of allegedly influencing cabinet appointments.
Zuma’s ties to the Gupta family has been the source of much ire among legislators and has created dissent in parliament.
On November 11, Zuma managed to dodge yet another attempt to remove him from power after a vote of no confidence in his leadership was overwhelmingly defeated in parliament.
The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), called for the vote a week after the former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, released a report into “State Capture” (when private interests covertly influence the government’s decision-making apparatus).
The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies
