ID slams ANC's 'ruthless attack' on judges

The Independent Democrats (ID) on Sunday criticised the African National Congress (ANC) for attacking Constitutional Court judges.

In a statement, ID president Patricia De Lille accused the ANC of waging a “coordinated, ruthless attack” on the judiciary and the judges of the highest court in the land.

Referring to comments by ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, where he accused the Constitutional Court’s judges of being “counter-revolutionary forces”, De Lille said it was clear the attacks were “a campaign to spare ANC president Jacob Zuma from equality before the courts”.

She also accused the ANC of “trying to protect its own” through the orchestrated campaign.

Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) secretary general Zwelinzima Vavi, ANC Youth League President Julius Malema and South
African Communist Party (SACP) secretary general Blade Nzimande also came under fire from De Lille for their recent comments.

Recently, Vavi attacked the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), calling it a “liberal” and “yesterday’s guardian of human rights”.

At the funeral of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union’s vice-president and ANC veteran Pretty Shuping, Vavi echoed Malema’s remark that he would “kill for Zuma”.

“For the past few weeks Cosatu, the ANCYL and now the ANC itself have launched scathing attacks on both the judiciary and our Chapter nine institutions,” said De Lille.

“The ANC has put its own interests before those of the democracy,” she charged. - Sapa