Ramaphosa welcomes call for meeting by judiciary

 This follows the judiciary’s complaint about recent criticism leveled against it in matters involving the State.
 

”Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, we welcome the call for a meeting with the president to discuss matters of the judiciary,” Ramaphosa said at the SA Communist Party special congress held in Soweto, Johannesburg.

 

”What we have been hearing lately, is not an attack on the judiciary. No. It is views of ordinary people presented, because we were elected by ordinary people. We would like to hear the views of the judiciary and look forward to the debates.”

 

He added that South Africa was not in a constitutional crisis.

 

”There is no constitutional crisis. Those who say there is such a crisis have it in their own heads…what exists is a robust discussion on the judiciary.”

 

On Wednesday, SACP secretary Blade Nzimande told the congress that his party would hold a summit to discuss the judiciary, adding that there has been ”a deliberate overreach” by the judiciary in its recent court judgments involving the executive.

 

Nzimande was referring to Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir’s controversial departure in June after he attended the African Union summit in Johannesburg. Bashir, who has two warrants of arrest issued against him by the International Criminal Court, left the country despite a high court order prohibiting him to do.

 

Mogoeng, accompanied by heads of the country’s courts, said there had been unfounded repeated criticism of the judiciary, and requested a meeting with Zuma.

 

Last month, African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Gwede Mantashe criticised the judiciary for what he considered as its bias against the ruling party. Mantashe mentioned two courts in particular – the North Gauteng High Court and the Western Cape High Court – accusing their judges of being against government and the ANC.

 

Zuma’s office announced on Thursday that he would meet with the judges as requested. -ANA

 

(File Photo: Gallo Images)