MAVERICK CITIZEN NEWSFLASH
Civil society comes out in support of Zondo, tells Zuma to respect the Constitution
Some of South Africa’s foremost civil society organisations have come out strongly in support of the State Capture Commission and have insisted that former president Jacob Zuma abide by the law. The 13 civil society organisations released a joint statement overnight stating that the politicising of the Zondo Commission needs to stop, while condemning Zuma’s continued defiance of the commission. We publish their statement in full.
We, representatives of civil society, jointly issue this statement condemning former president Jacob Zuma’s insistence on defying the State Capture Commission and the dangerous attacks he and other political actors have levelled at the judiciary without offering evidence in support of such charges.
This kind of behaviour and blatant disregard of the law shows that those who are implicated in looting the state will place their own selves before the law, and before others whose lives their crimes have impacted.
South Africans have been waiting patiently, for nearly a decade, to hear the truth about State Capture. The Zondo Commission, which is funded by the public, must be allowed to do its job on behalf of the country.
Activists, whistle-blowers and community leaders have shown their support of and submitted evidence to the commission.
We wish also to indicate our support for the commission and the importance of its mandate at a time when it faces such baseless attacks. It is time to stop politicising the Zondo Commission and follow the laws that apply to us all.
We know all too well that we come from a past of unconscionable inhumanity and inequality, where immunity for those who oversaw and implemented apartheid was the order of the day.
Our Constitution was always intended to represent a break from that past. It rests on the predicate that all of us are equal before this law.
There can be no more harmful assault on this bedrock than that a former president, who has enjoyed every power and privilege under this law – and continues to enjoy the privileges of his former office – should insist that he be immune from the reach of the commission and of the Constitutional Court, and that this impunity stand unchecked.
That he would insist on immunity while also seeking to sully the reputation of our judiciary, but making no credible case for these damaging charges, is but a further affront.
Every citizen, including the state itself, is beholden to the Constitution, including Mr Zuma, and we trust that the Constitutional Court will find accordingly when it considers this matter on 25 March 2021.
We have all come too far to allow underhanded politics to poison the well of truth and justice.
Signed by:
- Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF)
- Alternative Information & Development Centre (AIDC)
- Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC)
- Corruption Watch (CW)
- Dullah Omar Institute (DOI)
- Freedom Under Law (FUL)
- Legal Resources Centre (LRC)
- MyVoteCounts (MVC)
- Open Secrets (OS)
- Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA)
- Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI)
- Right2Know (R2K)
- South African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) DM/MC
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Agree 100% and support this wholeheartedly! Enough of this pathetic, self-imposed and tolerated charade. Bring these THIEVES to book – zuma, magashule, the key cogs/enablers, those guilty of theft and corruption in the eff etc. TIME to seize our country from these evil thieves and parasites
Call and treat these degenerates for what they are – THIEVES!!!!
I could think of worse things to call them. Through their thievery they have cost SAns basic human rights and dignity as well as the cost of life.
Following Magashule’s press conference last evening after the top 6 virtual meeting with Zuma, this press release by Civil Society groups is very welcome. Magashule/Pule handled the media with disdain. Referring to the commission as the “SO-CALLED Zondo Commission” was distasteful to the extreme
The anc president does not have the b&l1s to take on #1(jz), or any of the other crooks (Top 6) in his organisation. Maybe, just maybe he is quite comfortable amongst them? There just seems to be no integrity whatsoever left in the anc.
Tks guys, but this is not enough by far to make a difference. The anc is still calling the shots and judging against its statements as worded by one of the main culprits of rot in society, will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Agree 100 percent. The time has come for the millions of law-abiding South African citizens to be heard. Zuma’s refusal to respect Zondo is a refusal to respect us. The ANC leadership is also disrespecting all citizens by tiptoeing around Zuma and other criminals in their ranks.
Immunity delivers impunity.
The sentiments expressed here are laudable and necessary, but the main obstacle to punishing the ANC severely at the polls is the apathy of much of the voting sheeple who have been inculcated with the ethic that chiefs, leaders, and elders can do no wrong. The ANC knows this and banks on it.
Agreed! ANC liberation movement mindset believes entitlement to rule indefinitely. Voter base will never be sufficiently informed/educated to hold it accountable provided ANC maintains: poor education, struggle rhetoric, cadre deployment, buying tripartite/rural votes + steady welfare state benefits
Okay, so you insult and belittle the same people you want to vote your way? Great plan. Let’s call them “idiots” while you’re busy; ha, that’ll teach them for sure! You see, this is exactly the thinking that’ll get the EFF to elbow the DA off their pedestal.
Lol, unfortunately its rather blatant that the ANC blatantly sabotage education. It doesnt take a great deal of rocket science to figure out why. I’m afraid Red is dead on the money.
Zuma calculated that the Zondo path will put him in a box. His alternative is to buck Zondo and build popular support. Let’s not get emotional about it. Find ways of countering the effects of his strategy.
This is an important public statement. Regrettably, it deals with people who have little sense of self-respect or morality. It’s not just theft and pillage from the poor; it is also about how easily these sociopaths turn to violence to silence truth-tellers. That is even more scary.
Zuma should be informed that if he does not recognise SA law, then SA law does not recognise him! In other words all privileges, pensions, funding’s that the state provide to him and his family no longer apply! Why should the taxpayer fund his lifestyle if he shows us the middle finger?
Absolutely agree.
These atrocious humans have literally stolen the future from our children. They must face the full might of the law. We live in a supposed constitutional democracy that was fought for with blood. We cannot allow this to continue and must unite against the enemy and regain our once beautiful country.
I strongly feel that this group should organise, with the help of the media, the biggest protest action since 1975. Heavily promoted and covered by the media and SANEF. Single aim: to protest against corruption. Thousands of groups of 250 citizens each, all over the country, cities. towns, villages.
That is a great idea. With the latest machinations of the ret mob, there is a greater sense of outrage than at the time of the last protest against Zuma. Time to take to the streets again!
Thank you Keith. I honestly feel that most comments on DM are basically just saying the same thing. But unless there is drastic action from society, nothing will ever change, with a simple downward spiral. Fancy words of critic on DM means nothing. In a country like ours, only action matters.
Beyond me why the ANC continues to pander to him. The highest court in the land has been ignored and he needs to be jailed for this – pure and simple.
He is just another citizen as we are all equal before the law. Time for him to be a man and take the consequences of his actions.
Miles, he is not a man. He is a sniggering coward, a thief, a despicable and poor excuse of a human being. Dishonest, crooked and vile to the core, like the rest of his ilk. SA citizens must draw the line now, enough of this circus!
Civil society organisations must pressure the President, Pandor and Parliamentarians to establish an extranl panel to look into misconduct and incompentence of the DG, CFO, and implicated Dirco Officials. SA has to get this right. like the Nugent Commission that investigated SARS.
Dirco globalised State Capture and Internalised Corruption. New York, New York. Civil Society organisations must look into the role that Dirco Officials played to enable state capture and corruption.
Dirco helped to manage the deal flow and the flow of foreign direct investments to the RET gang. Civil society organisations must ask, how did the Gupta chair the SA/ Saudi Joint Business Council, which was attended by the two Heads of State. A military factory was opened in honour of JZ in Saudi.
To this amazing group, please hear me out! DM has now moved you to page 3 of their news articles, But YOU are the only bodies (in whole, or in part) that can save our country from the destruction caused by criminals involve in corruption. Please, get citizens of this country to mobilise in support