The South African Communist Party (SACP) has expressed its serious concerns about the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) recent ruling in the Schabir Shaik matter, the party said on Tuesday.
”The SACP notes and wishes to express its serious concerns about the implications of the letter written by Judge Hilary Squires to Business Day,” a party statement read.
The SACP said it is concerned that the ruling of the SCA on the Schabir Shaik matter and his relationship with the deputy president of the African National Congress, Jacob Zuma, was based on ”an inaccurate reading or lack thereof”, of the exact nature of the trial court’s judgement.
The party said the usage of the phrase ”generally corrupt relationship” in relation to one of its rulings on the matter and attributing this to the trial court judgement amounts to a political rather than a judicial and legally based ruling.
”This is indeed a very serious matter that does not only call into question the credibility of the SCA, but also has the potential of negatively impacting on the confidence of our people in our judiciary.”
The party called upon the chief justice to institute a ”thorough and public investigation” into the circumstances.
The SACP said the issue has also underlined the need to fast-track the transformation of the judiciary.
”The matter under question is also a damning indictment on the South African media,” the statement read.
”The public perception that the phrase ‘generally corrupt relationship’ was a finding by the trial court is a deliberate creation of the media.”
The party said this was proof that the media in general, with very few exceptions, have been engaged in a deliberate exercise to try and convict Zuma in a court of public opinion.
The SACP said the matter should be investigated as to how the media has over such a long period of time gotten away with it. — Sapa