Deputy president can act

Shell SA chairman Bonang Mohale is concerned about the concerted and wide-ranging attack on SA’s democracy and the need for business to defend our Constitution. He speaks of setting up an integrity fund to pay for “activities to put the country on a different path”. And he urges the commissioning of a judicial inquiry into the astonishing revelations from the leaked Gupta e-mails, among other remedial actions.

The Quaker Peace Centre has applied to the Constitutional Court for confirmation of our interpretation of certain sections of the Constitution that preclude President Jacob Zuma from commissioning a judicial inquiry as recommended in the public protector’s State of Capture report, by virtue of his vested interests and alleged complicity in corruption; and we are asking the court to give the deputy president the authority to do so. We have been joined in this application by the FW de Klerk Foundation and AfriForum. Our claim that the deputy president has the authority is based on section 90(1)(a) of the Constitution, as the president is unable to act by reason of his conflict.

The evidence of state capture is now overwhelming. From the arms deal, to Eskom, to the firing of Nhlanhla Nene and then Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas, to the shenanigans at Prasa, SARS, SAA, the SABC and the Hawks, and the Sassa and CPS debacle, it is shockingly clear that our democracy is in grave danger.

Each act of corruption, each diversion of money to nefarious purposes robs children of their basic rights and feeds discontent and the violence we see all around us. It must stop.

Carol Bower

Chairwoman, Quaker Peace Centre.