Quote of the week

Mr Zuma is no ordinary litigant. He is the former President of the Republic, who remains a public figure and continues to wield significant political influence, while acting as an example to his supporters… He has a great deal of power to incite others to similarly defy court orders because his actions and any consequences, or lack thereof, are being closely observed by the public. If his conduct is met with impunity, he will do significant damage to the rule of law. As this Court noted in Mamabolo, “[n]o one familiar with our history can be unaware of the very special need to preserve the integrity of the rule of law”. Mr Zuma is subject to the laws of the Republic. No person enjoys exclusion or exemption from the sovereignty of our laws… It would be antithetical to the value of accountability if those who once held high office are not bound by the law.

Khampepe j
Secretary of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State v Zuma and Others (CCT 52/21) [2021] ZACC 18
9 March 2007

Taking political accountability too far?

US newspapers revealed this week that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, failed to pay parking tickets worth $375 while he was a student at Harvard law school. He paid the tickets two weeks before he officially launched his presidential campaign.

Now its front page news in every newspaper in America. Is it only me, or is this taking accountability a bit too far. Imagine South African newspapers had to publish such detailed allegations about politicians. There will be no space for stories on crime.

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