Africa-Press – South-Africa. Chief Justice Raymond Zondo must respect the separation of powers and allow other state organs to do their job without undue pressure, following the release of the state capture report.
This is according to ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who weighed in following Zondo’s remarks which included that if another group of people was to attempt to capture the state, they would succeed because Parliament would again fail to stop them.
Mbalula – speaking at the start of the Western Cape ANC elective conference on Saturday – said Zondo was also allowed the space he needed to conclude the report.
He added:
“Naye ubhala la report it took him a longer time [It also took him a long time to write his report], he had to change from time to time and ask for more and more [time to finish it]. So kwaba tsotsi bangangaka bagcwele kule country [with so many criminals in this country], how will it be easy to arrest somebody overnight?” asked Mbalula.
“The judge has resolved that people must be prosecuted; it is easy for [Shamila] Batohi to do that job. Leave Batohi, her team, and the NPA to do their job without fear or favour and [allow them to] come to a conclusion, including arresting people.”
Mbalula added:
Addressing a Human Science Research Council symposium that analysed the state capture report’s impact on democracy this week, Zondo said his biggest fear was that citizens remained vulnerable to the impact of corruption, despite his pride in the work of the state capture Inquiry.
Zondo said: “If another group of people were to do exactly what the Guptas did to pursue state capture, Parliament would still not be able to stop it. That is simply because I have seen nothing that has changed. If Parliament won’t be able to protect the people’s interests, who will protect the people?”
Following Zondo’s remarks, on Friday, Parliament, in a statement, said it had asked for an urgent meeting with the Chief Justice to discuss his utterances.
The request for a meeting came after Parliament had expressed shock and objected to the remarks made by Zondo.
On Friday, Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces Chairperson Amos Masondo said they had requested a meeting with Zondo “to clarify any potential misunderstandings and to establish a common understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of each arm of government within the context of Parliament’s implementation of the commission’s recommendations.
“Meanwhile, Mbalula speaking at the conference said the ANC must advocate for strengthening law enforcement in the country.
“So comrades, we are not wrong when we say ‘let us go back to the model of the Scorpions’; we are not wrong. It does not matter who you are; if you have to answer, you must answer, but law enforcement must not be put under undue pressure,” he added.
Mbalula also took issue at those who said they were putting undue pressure on acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka to produce the Phala Phala report.
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