ANC must keep its hands off the judiciary

17 May 2017

Even though the ruling ANC party has already succeeded in undermining the credibility of the legislative and executive authority, the country's judiciary still instils confidence in the public, says Dr. Corné Mulder, chief whip of the FF Plus.

Dr. Mulder today said it is therefore a pity that the government is clearly trying to undermine the judiciary even though they pretend to respect it.

He mentioned the Sassa and Omar Al-Bashir cases as an example, saying the ANC openly ignored the verdict of the courts in these cases and refused to do what the courts ordered them to do.

"There is currently a strong political struggle in the country and this battle is now moving to the courts. The courts do not want to get involved. It is not the task of a court to interfere with this.

"The Constitution of South Africa makes it very clear in its preamble that the country's values are based on the Constitution and the independence of the judiciary and section 2 of the Constitution states that any law that is contrary to this is invalid.

"History will show that the country's legislative authority, the parliament, failed the country. But it is not the whole of parliament. It is the ruling party that has used and abused its majority to undermine the executive and judicial authority.

"The FF Plus wants to see that the judiciary's hand is strengthened in order to continue his good work," says Dr. Mulder.

Issued by Corné Mulder, FF Plus Chief Whip, 18 May 2017