AKIPRESS.COM - South African President Jacob Zuma survived an impeachment vote Tuesday, with about 60 percent of lawmakers voting to keep him in office. Opposition parties presented the impeachment motion after a court ruled Zuma had ignored an order to pay back state funds spent on his private home. Tempers ran hot as parliament members debated the motion Tuesday.

An hour into the parliamentary session, lawmakers were yet to discuss the motion to impeach Zuma, VOA reported.

Lawmakers were instead trading arguments and insults over the opposition’s demand that the National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete recuse herself.

The debate comes less than a week after the Constitutional Court ordered Zuma to pay back part of the $16 million in public funds used for upgrades to his private home last year.

The court said the president violated the constitution by disregarding the Public Protector's recommendation for him to pay for non-security-related features built using these funds.

The court also found fault with parliament. A parliamentary committee had said Zuma did not need to repay the money. The Constitutional Court said lawmakers failed to hold the executive to account.

In a nationally televised speech Friday, Zuma apologized.