Abuse of courts or the last line of defence?
As the judiciary is asked to make decisions about the nation’s direction, some accuse it of meddling in politics, writes Genevieve Quintal
The judiciary again seems to be playing a central role in protecting democracy and upholding the Constitution — which some critics, especially in the ANC, believe is judicial overreach. Last week, the High Court in Pretoria ordered President Jacob Zuma to provide all records and reasons for his decision to remove former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas. This followed an application brought by the DA after a late-night cabinet reshuffle sent the country’s financial markets into a tailspin, resulting in a weakened currency and credit-rating downgrades to junk status by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch. The court has been accused of blurring the lines between the state and the judiciary. ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the party was urging Zuma to appeal against the ruling as it had an element of "judicial overreach", while secretary-general Gwede Mantashe reportedly accused the courts of playing in the political space and therefore setting a bad precedent. Manta...
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