The judges ruled that the South African President must pay personally pay the legal cost of his failed application to have the ombudsman’s ruling for a commission of inquiry into state capture set aside

They further ordered that Zuma is too conflicted to name the members of that commission himself

This is a further indication of power draining away from President Jacob Zuma. as the ruling African National Congress prepares to meet this week to elect his successor.

Party spokesman Zizi Khodwa welcomes the High Court ruling, saying an inquiry into state capture is in the country’s best interest.

Khodwa says Zuma must implement the court ruling without delay

Judge President Dunstan Mlambo says Zuma has 30 days to call for a commission of inquiry into state capture as instructed  by the then Public Protector Thuli Madonsela

The commission members must be named by the Chief Justice.

Madonsela welcomes the ruling, saying it gives Zuma pause.

Mlambo declared Zuma was ill advised and reckless to seek a review of her recommendation

He cannot continue wasting taxpayer’s money on vexatious legal challenges.

She says delaying the  commission of inquiry is  making a cold case of a very worrying phenomenon.

Evidence was disappearing every day.

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Pressure on Zuma remains unrelenting as Parliament prepares today to debate an opposition resolution to impeach the president over the judgment that he effectively broke his oath of office.

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The ANC backed Zuma after the Constitutional Court rebuked him for ignoring Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s order that he pay back some of the nearly 20 million euros spent on upgrading his private home.

The scandal, one of several which have dogged Zuma over the past decade, could strain relations between the ANC and its allies the South African Communist Party  and labour federation Cosatu, which have helped it to retain power since the fall of apartheid in 1994.

Analysts say the Constitutional Court ruling is a blow to Zuma’s credibility and could harm the ANC ahead of municipal elections due between May and August.

The biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, knows that the ruling party’s impeachment motion will be dashed up against the ANC’s 62 percent parliamentary majority.

But it also knows that growing anger against Zuma, expressed by the soldier’s trade union calling for his resignation, threatens to erode that majority.

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The Constitutional Court ordered Zuma to repay the money spent on non-security improvements.

His office says he’ll reflect on the judgment and consulting with the parties invovled

The ruling African National Congress says it notes and respects the court’s decision

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Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogeong’a damning verdict is another body blow to the beleaguered South African president.

His rebuke comes as Zuma fights back against separate allegations that a wealthy Indian family has influenced ministerial appointments in a scandal that has rocked his government.

The Economic Freedom Fighters, who brought the action, is calling it a vindication of its pay back the money campaign.

EFF leader Julius Malema calls on the ANC to do the right thing and recall the president.

Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimani says  Zuma’s action amounts to a serious violation of the Constitution,

He says the party’s  officially begun the process to impeach Zuma.

The ANC is likely to see this off because it has 59 percent of parliamentary seats.

However,  opposition parties hope today’s  (Thursday’s )ruling will buoy their performance in local elections expected in May.

Former Trade Union Confederation leader Zwelinzima Vavi says the people must take to the streets to ensure Zuma’s departure.

Bantu Holomisa, heading the United Democratic Movement says the ANC must remove Zuma as a football  coach would ensure a red-carded player left the field without delay.

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Zuma has some fence mending to do with incoming Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari after xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa.

But the fallout with Africa’s biggest economy pales next to the row raging over the so-called Nkandla affair that’s dominated domestic politics these past four years.

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Police Minister Nathi Nhleko’s findings came as no surprise, given that he was reporting on the man at whose pleasure he serves.

Nevertheless his insistence that a swimming pool and chicken coup should be considered cost-free and necessary security upgrades to Zuma’s private home has outraged the opposition and many of the people living in poverty in South Africa 21 year after the end of apartheid.

The official opposition Democratic Alliance calls the police minister’s findings an insult to the South African people.

It plans to take legal action to support the report of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that Zuma should  repay the cost of private improvements to Nkandla because he’s unduly benefited
from the work on his home that also included a cattle enclosure, amphitheatre and visitors’ centre .

Nhleko’s report has been tabled for consideration in parliament, which has previously
descended into in chaos with opposition lawmakers demanding Zuma pay back the money.
Those demands are expected to persist.

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Members of the opposition Democratic Alliance then walked out in protest against the presence of armed police in the House.

The delivery of President Jacob Zuma’s state of the nation speech, traditionally listened to in silence by members in a joint sitting of the upper and lower houses, was delayed by an hour as red-boiler-suited members of the Economic Freedom Fighters rose on questions of privilege.

They asked when Zuma would comply with the Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s ruling that he pay back money used to personally enrich himself from state-funded security improvements to his private home.

Speaker Baleka Mbete responded that this was not the occasion for such questions. When he persisted, she ordered Julius Malema to leave the chamber.

He refused.

When the Sergeant at Arms from the National Assembly and Black Rod from the National Council of provinces could not move him, Mbete ratcheted up matters.

Parliamentary leader of the Democratic Alliance Mmusi Maimane led a walkout when the speaker would not confirm that the armed men involved in scuffles with the EFF members were police.

He told reporters in the lobby

That having police in the House violated the consitution and the rule of law that Nelson Mandela had worked for.

Zuma who grinned through the ruckus began his speech saying South Africa’s growth target of five percent annually was under threat because of slow global economic conditions.

However the job situation’s more promising with more than 15 million South Africans in employment.

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