Arguments continue in state capture application
The High Court in Pretoria has heard the case on the state capture report could be the most important yet, before a full bench.
That's according to Advocate Dali Mpofu who is representing political parties Cope and the UDM.
"This is a case that implicates all grounds of impeachment if indeed the President abdicated his presidential powers to appoint cabinet ministers to some private interests. I cannot image a more serious violation of a constitution than that," says Mpofu.
The parties, along with the EFF, DA and former MP Vytjie Mentor, have applied to oppose the application by President Jacob Zuma and Ministers Des van Rooyen and Mosebenzi Zwane, who are seeking an interdict against the release of the report compiled by former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
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The president's legal representative, Anthea Platt argues that his office enjoys procedural rights that must be recognised.
"The President has come to enforce procedural rights. Those procedural rights do not attach to the public nor do they attach to the political parties or to any intervening party and those procedural rights have been admitted by the respondent, which is the Public Protector," says Platt.
But the EFF's legal representative, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi says there's more at stake.
"This is a case that seeks to put a blanket ban on the publication of the Public Protector report. It's not just the President who is interested in that question, it is everybody in the country. Is it true or is it not true? That is what is at stake in this case. Not procedural niceties that the President wishes to put out," says Ngcukaitobi.
Proceedings have adjourned to allow Cooperative Governance Minister van Rooyen's legal team to file outstanding affidavits to be part of the urgent interdict against the release of the report.