Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) confirmed that the use of state funds to pay former President Jacob Zuma’s private lawyers who represented him in matters relating to his prosecution for corruption was unlawful and unconstitutional. The SCA also confirmed that Mr Zuma was obliged to pay back the money to the state. But the judgment further contains a timely warning about the problem of elected officials using access to (seemingly unlimited) state funds “to resist being held accountable” by obstructing or delaying a prosecution.
Some South Africans regularly complain that individuals involved in criminal activities – but who happen to have pots of money, political influence or social and economic power – are seldom investigated and prosecuted. As race remains a significant marker of economic inequality in South Africa, there is also a widespread perception that the criminal justice system tends to favour white suspects over black suspects. (more…)
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6 April 2021
Is it possible for the ANC to fix the way in which the party elects its leaders?
Last week the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) declared the 2018 Free State provincial conference of the African National Congress […]
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29 March 2021
What will happen after the State Capture Commission report is released?
The State Capture Commission is finally drawing to a close, but what happens after the Commission delivers its report? What […]
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16 March 2021
Why are ANC MPs not fighting to amend the unconstitutional Budget Bill?
Tito Mboweni’s austerity draft Budget proposes severe medium-term cuts to spending on health, social grants and education. These cuts are […]
Quote of the week
My colleagues and I often care for patients suffering from hallucinations, prophesying, and claiming to speak with God, among other symptoms—in mental health care, it’s sometimes very difficult to tell apart religious belief from mental illness…. Our conclusions frequently stem from the behaviors we see before us. Take an example of a man who walks into an emergency department, mumbling incoherently. He says he’s hearing voices in his head, but insists there’s nothing wrong with him. He hasn’t used any drugs or alcohol. If he were to be evaluated by mental health professionals, there’s a good chance he might be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder like schizophrenia. But what if that same man were deeply religious? What if his incomprehensible language was speaking in tongues?
Scientific American