Zuma - The Winners
There were only two winners declared out of the Zuma judgment on Friday in in the Durban High Court. Jacob Zuma, for obvious reasons, and the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The Democratic Alliance?!
Yes, the DA. The DA's warnings over the past ten years that South Africa's young democracy is facing a crisis, and recently that it is in crisis, was vindicated. The DA has warned for a number of years now that the ANC and its extension the Executive of South Africa, has been meddling in democratic institutions while it should have respected its independence.
The Truth
The judiciary, including the justice system, in a democracy should be independent and free from political interference. However, the ANC and Thabo Mbeki crossed this line a long time ago. Recent attacks on the judiciary once again confirmed to what extent the ANC and its partners would like to involve themselves with the decisions of an independent judiciary. Even though they are already doing it.
The recent capitulation of the Human Rights Commission's demand that Julius Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi should apologise for their "kill" utterances is further proof that the democratic institutions of our country are no longer independent.
The ANC and its alliance partners' obsession to get rid of the Scorpions outside of the must celebrated review of the justice system, shows how the ANC would abuse its power to protect its own members.
Lastly, the recent judgment in the case brought by the City of Cape Town against the Premier of the Western Cape, was another indictment of the ANC's abuse of power to take on its opponents and achieving its own crooked aims. In this judgment it was also clear that the Western Cape ANC government meddled in the justice process and that the Police assisted them by illegally providing them with information on their political opponents.
These are symptoms of a sick democracy.
The judgment by Judge Nicholson was probably the scariest judgment in the history of South Africa relating to its democracy and democratic institutions. It was, as I mentioned earlier, a vindication of the DA's warnings but also a major indictment of President Thabo Mbeki and the ANC. It confirmed that the ANC is subverting South Africa's democracy.
Zuma also a Loser
Even though Zuma can claim that he has been vindicated this is not yet the case. Do not forget that he was part of the same cabinet that interfered in the independence of the judiciary and justice system until that interference turned against him. He is also guilty of subverting South Africa's democracy by his mere association with the ANC.
No Guarantee Zuma would be Different
There is no guarantee therefore that things would be any different under a Zuma presidency than they have been under a Mbeki presidency. After all, it is still the same party in charge. Unless the ANC undergoes a Damascus conversion to democracy, things won't change and judge Nicholson's judgment and the DA's warnings will continue to ring true for years to come. After all the culture in an organisation does not change overnight.
The Other Losers
The obvious losers in this case are President Mbeki, found guilty of subverting the independence of the judiciary and justice system, and the ANC, whose brand of democracy its peddling was found guilty of subverting true democracy.
President Mbeki meddled in the judiciary and justice system for his own faction's gain to persecute Zuma and to protect Selebi. He has been found guilty of subverting our democracy when he was supposed to protect it by oath and he was found guilty of causing a resultant Constitutional crisis as a consequence.
The ANC stood idly by when all this was happening. The fact that another faction is now in charge of the ANC does not change the indictment against it. The same people were in leadership positions when the subversion took place and they failed to act. After all, Zuma was deputy president of the country and the ANC when the meddling in the judiciary already took place. He kept quiet. So did all his cronies currently supporting him. This judgment was a major vote of no confidence in the ANC's idea and brand of a democracy.
The Future
If there is still any remnant of a democracy left in South Africa, the following should take place.
There were only two winners declared out of the Zuma judgment on Friday in in the Durban High Court. Jacob Zuma, for obvious reasons, and the Democratic Alliance (DA).
The Democratic Alliance?!
Yes, the DA. The DA's warnings over the past ten years that South Africa's young democracy is facing a crisis, and recently that it is in crisis, was vindicated. The DA has warned for a number of years now that the ANC and its extension the Executive of South Africa, has been meddling in democratic institutions while it should have respected its independence.
The Truth
The judiciary, including the justice system, in a democracy should be independent and free from political interference. However, the ANC and Thabo Mbeki crossed this line a long time ago. Recent attacks on the judiciary once again confirmed to what extent the ANC and its partners would like to involve themselves with the decisions of an independent judiciary. Even though they are already doing it.
The recent capitulation of the Human Rights Commission's demand that Julius Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi should apologise for their "kill" utterances is further proof that the democratic institutions of our country are no longer independent.
The ANC and its alliance partners' obsession to get rid of the Scorpions outside of the must celebrated review of the justice system, shows how the ANC would abuse its power to protect its own members.
Lastly, the recent judgment in the case brought by the City of Cape Town against the Premier of the Western Cape, was another indictment of the ANC's abuse of power to take on its opponents and achieving its own crooked aims. In this judgment it was also clear that the Western Cape ANC government meddled in the justice process and that the Police assisted them by illegally providing them with information on their political opponents.
These are symptoms of a sick democracy.
The judgment by Judge Nicholson was probably the scariest judgment in the history of South Africa relating to its democracy and democratic institutions. It was, as I mentioned earlier, a vindication of the DA's warnings but also a major indictment of President Thabo Mbeki and the ANC. It confirmed that the ANC is subverting South Africa's democracy.
Zuma also a Loser
Even though Zuma can claim that he has been vindicated this is not yet the case. Do not forget that he was part of the same cabinet that interfered in the independence of the judiciary and justice system until that interference turned against him. He is also guilty of subverting South Africa's democracy by his mere association with the ANC.
No Guarantee Zuma would be Different
There is no guarantee therefore that things would be any different under a Zuma presidency than they have been under a Mbeki presidency. After all, it is still the same party in charge. Unless the ANC undergoes a Damascus conversion to democracy, things won't change and judge Nicholson's judgment and the DA's warnings will continue to ring true for years to come. After all the culture in an organisation does not change overnight.
The Other Losers
The obvious losers in this case are President Mbeki, found guilty of subverting the independence of the judiciary and justice system, and the ANC, whose brand of democracy its peddling was found guilty of subverting true democracy.
President Mbeki meddled in the judiciary and justice system for his own faction's gain to persecute Zuma and to protect Selebi. He has been found guilty of subverting our democracy when he was supposed to protect it by oath and he was found guilty of causing a resultant Constitutional crisis as a consequence.
The ANC stood idly by when all this was happening. The fact that another faction is now in charge of the ANC does not change the indictment against it. The same people were in leadership positions when the subversion took place and they failed to act. After all, Zuma was deputy president of the country and the ANC when the meddling in the judiciary already took place. He kept quiet. So did all his cronies currently supporting him. This judgment was a major vote of no confidence in the ANC's idea and brand of a democracy.
The Future
If there is still any remnant of a democracy left in South Africa, the following should take place.
- President Thabo Mbeki should end his term immediately and call elections so that the country can exercise its democratic will.
- The country should be voting Zuma and the ANC out of power for subverting our democracy (although this is unlikely to happen and the status quo would remain).
- Zuma should go public and provide guarantees how he and the ANC would safeguard South Africa's democracy and respect the independence of its justice system, judiciary and democratic institutions. After all, despite his partners' claims, Zuma has won more court cases than he has lost, proving there is nothing wrong with the judiciary apart from the ANC government's meddling. His alliance partners should do the same.
- The independence of our judiciary, justice system and democratic institutions should be strengthened and all ANC deployments should be withdrawn from these bodies with immediate effect as a first step towards that strengthening.
South Africa's democracy remains in crisis if the powers that be does not address the very real indictments contained in Judge Nicholson's judgment. We need to see clear and practical steps to rectify what has been damaged in our democracy by the ANC.
Lastly, when the DA warns that our democracy is in crisis, you may listen to it, it obviously knows what it is talking about. Let's get out there and dethrone the power hungry ANC and its alliance partners!!
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