Church Welcomes Zuma Judgment

by Gunther Simmermacher · December 14, 2017

By Staff Reporter -The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBCC) has welcomed the ruling of the North Gauteng High Court that orders President Jacob Zuma to personally pay for his aborted legal bid to block the release of the State of Capture report.

Protesters at an anti-corruption protest outside parliament in Cape Town in April. The image on the placard shows a member of the Gupta family, with which President Jacob Zuma is alleged to have a corrupt relationship. (Photo: Günther Simmermacher/The Southern Cross)

Judge Dunstan Mlambo found that Mr Zuma had been reckless in challenging findings by former public protector Thuli Madonsela‚ who had ordered the president to appoint a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture. Justice Mlambo also instructed that Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng select the judge to head the inquiry‚ in accordance with Ms Madonsela’s report.

SACBC spokesman Archbishop William Slattery of Pretoria said in a statement that the Catholic Church agrees with the ruling.

“What a waste of time and money, what a disgrace [that] the president should play around with the South African people and the courts for such a long time before finally been led to justice,” Archbishop Slattery said.

“We applaud the former Public Protector and the High Court in finally ferreting out a means to arrive at the truth. The president well deserves to pay costs, and the Catholic Church feels that he can do so,” Archbishop Slattery said.

The Jesuit Institute also welcomed the ruling. “South Africans can be proud of our judiciary which has never failed to hold those who are meant to serve the people of the country accountable when leadership have shown, over and over, that they have no intention of being honest or of service,” it said in a statement signed by its director, Fr Russell Pollitt SJ.

Ms Madonsela’s “State of Capture” report was issued in November last year‚ following a request for investigation by the Dominican Order. It detailed allegations of an improper relationship between Mr Zuma and other state officials and the Gupta family who are in business with the president’s son, Duduzane Zuma.

President Jacob Zuma who has been ordered to personally pay legal fees for his attempt to block the public protector’s State Capture report. (Photo: Nic Bothma/EPA/CNS)

The Jesuit Institute was sharply critical of Mr Zuma, saying that since the public protector’s report was released, he had “done nothing else but deceive and abuse the country’s judicial system to prevent this important commission from being set up”.

The institute called on the ANC “to act decisively against its president who has not only damaged the party’s reputation but also abused the country’s justice system and caused harm to the nation”.

Mr Zuma “has proved…that he does not have the integrity to lead. He is a compromised man whose dishonesty is a burden to South Africa. He is dangerous because he is either ignorant of the law or chooses, deliberately, to snub the law. He and his cronies can no longer be shielded,” the Jesuit Institute said.

“The landmark judgment…is a victory for the people of South Africa, the former public protector and the Dominicans who initiated this investigation.”