Outrage follows Zuma’s comments to traditional leaders

Some opposition political parties and the legal fraternity yesterday voiced their displeasure following President Jacob Zuma’s attack on the South African judiciary when he met traditional leaders in Pretoria this week.

On Thursday, Zuma told them not to resolve their issues over land and other matters through the courts of law.

He said they must resolve them “the African way, as the courts looked on one side”.

Zuma was responding to the concerns raised by several traditional leaders from different provinces during a meeting of the National House of Traditional Leaders in Pretoria.

He said: “Judges would convict them, even if they told the truth.”

Co-chairpersons of the Law Society of South Africa Mvuzo Notyesi and Jan Janse van Rensburg said: “We are very concerned about what we heard from the media, but will issue a full statement at the right time.”

Zuma’s outburst against the judiciary came less than two weeks after the Constitutional Court ruled against him in the Nkandla security upgrades matter.

He subsequently attributed his error in dismissing the remedial actions by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to poor advice from his legal team.

Director of Accountability Now advocate Paul Hoffman said Zuma made the remarks as a way of indirectly hitting back at the court for ruling against him.

“He does not understand that the rule of law is supreme,” said Hoffman.

“What does the African way mean?

“Is it the way in which things are done in Swaziland, where there is an absolute monarch?”

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said: “Zuma is of a fundamental belief that he is above the law.”

Congress of the People spokes- person Dennis Bloem said by questioning the courts, Zuma was suggesting that judges must make judgments outside the parameters of the law.

Zuma is of a fundamental belief that he is above the law.

Mmusi Maimane

DA leader