GOOD Statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
14 July 2023
The GOOD Party welcomes the unequivocal message sent by the Constitutional Court that we are all subject to the rule of law and that no public officer, whether a member of the executive or a member of the public service, exercises personal powers that are not subject to the tests of legality and rationality.
Decision makers exercise a public power, restricted by the law and by the tests of rationality and absence of bias, and this was also confirmed by the Constitutional Court in yesterday’s judgment on the suspension of the Public Protector by the President.
When former Director-General of Correctional Services, Arthur Fraser, granted former President Jacob Zuma medical parole he exceeded the powers of his office and the Constitutional Court has set that decision aside.
This means that the former President was not eligible for medical parole and his release from prison was unlawful. He is required to complete his sentence.
This is not a decision that should be triumphantly exploited by political parties.
The imprisonment of a former president who swore to uphold the laws of this land, for contempt of court, is a betrayal of the people of South Africa and it demands a sober response.
Two years ago, when former President Zuma was found to be in contempt of court and sentenced to 15 months imprisonment, the incarceration of our former president sparked widespread arson, sabotage, looting and lawlessness.
President Ramaphosa referred to it as an insurrection.
Let history not repeat itself. The Minister of Police and the crime intelligence agencies must demonstrate that they have learnt from their under-preparedness of July 2021.
But there is a duty on former President Zuma, as a loyal South African who had the privilege to serve in the highest office in the land, to publicly instruct his supporters to respect the rule of law – regardless of whether they feel the outcome is unfair or some sort of betrayal.
Media Enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
Cell: 082 518 3264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Samantha Jackson, GOOD Acting Media Manager
Cell: 083 550 9875
Email: media@forgood.org.za