The African National Congress’s ”judge bashing” could be a bid to intimidate the Constitutional Court ahead of the medicine-pricing hearing, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.
DA justice spokesperson Sheila Camerer said there is a ”strong suspicion” that this is the case.
”This is completely out of line; the Constitutional Court is internationally recognised as one of the shining lights of South Africa’s first decade of democracy and the ANC must leave it alone,” she said.
On Saturday, the ANC national executive said in a statement marking the organisation’s 93rd anniversary that some judges do not see themselves as ”part of [the] masses”, and that there is an urgent need for further transformation within the judiciary.
It said there is a challenge to ”transform the collective mindset of the judiciary to bring it into consonance with the vision and aspirations of the millions who engaged in struggle to liberate our country from white minority domination”.
Camerer said it is ”simply nonsense” to suggest that millions of South Africans are upset about the mindset of the judiciary.
”Racist smears like this serve only the narrow political purpose of the ANC under President [Thabo] Mbeki. They certainly do not promote respect for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary,” she said.
It is clear Mbeki wants the judiciary to be accountable to the ANC.
The Constitutional Court is the next port of call for the case in which pharmacists are challenging the government’s regulations to make medicines cheaper.
The challenge was rejected by the Cape High Court, in proceedings that sparked a race row, but upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeal. — Sapa