Joint civil society statement on the Electoral Commission case at the Constitutional Court
We, the undersigned organisations, call on all stakeholders to respect the decision of the Constitutional Court in relation to the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa’s (IEC) appeal to be heard on 10 May 2024.
The IEC is appealing a recent judgment by the Electoral Court. This judgment overturned the IEC’s decision to uphold an objection to former President Jacob Zuma’s candidacy. The former President is standing for the 29 May elections as a National Assembly candidate on Umkhonto we Sizwe’s (MK) political party list.
We express our confidence in the Constitutional Court processes and the impartiality of its judges who are expected to hear the matter between the IEC and MK. We call on the IEC, MK, former President Zuma, the amicus curiae in the case, as well as the broader public, to accept the ConCourt’s judgment, irrespective of the outcome.
As MK had the right to take the matter to the Electoral Court, we similarly stand by the right of the IEC to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. We firmly believe that this matter requires urgent constitutional clarity ahead of the elections later this month. The case is also important for future interpretation of Section 47 (1) (e) of the Constitution.
We support the right of organisations to become ‘friends of the court’ on the matter. In this regard, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Corruption Watch, and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) have all been admitted as amicus curiae by the Constitutional Court.
The social media attacks on these organisations – which started promptly after it was made public that they would be joining in as amicus curiae – must be condemned. The three organisations have long stood for constitutionalism, against corruption and state capture, and for democracy. The attacks aimed at them are nothing more than spurious attempts to undermine their credibility and public standing.
As the matter heads to the Constitutional Court on Friday, we reiterate our appeal for the respect and upholding of the rule of law by all stakeholders. In the experience of the July 2021 unrest, the country has an example of the repercussions of the rule of law being disregarded. As we head to the 2024 elections, respect for the rule of law will ultimately improve the overall climate of peace and stability.
Signed by:
- Active Citizens Movement
- Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute NPC
- Botsotso
- Business Ecology
- Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change NPC
- Congress of Business and Economics
- Defend Our Democracy
- Extinction Rebellion Gauteng
- Freedom Under Law
- Gandhi Development Trust/Phoenix Settlement Trust
- Gugulethu CAN
- In Transformation Initiative
- Inclusive Society Institute
- Johannesburg Against Injustice
- June and Andrew Mlangeni Foundation
- Krishna Rabilal Foundation
- Legal Resources Centre
- LenzPolitics
- Linali Consulting
- Masibuyisane
- Mediate Works (Pty) Ltd
- Moselatshedimosho Mining Communities Education and Training Centre
- Msunduzi Association of Residents Ratepayers and Civics (MARRC)
- Muslim Students Association Union
- Muslim Youth Movement
- Ntwane Community Development Forum
- Open Secrets
- Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse
- Progressive Tamil Movement
- South Durban Community Environmental Alliance
- South African Conversations
- South African Tamil Federation
- Survivors of State Capture at the South African Revenue Service Support Group
- Teddy Bear Foundation for Abused Children
- The Fair Labour Practice (Pty) Ltd
- Tlou Cholo Foundation
- #SA1stForum
- #StandUpSA
- #UniteBehind
- #YouthArise
Glyph
Van der Merwe goes to Paris to watch the Boks take on the Brits at the world cup.
Whilst in Paris, he walks around, gaping and staring at everything – so much so that he walks smack bang into a fire hydrant which hits him so hard on the family jewels that he has to be rushed to hospital where the doctors tell him they have to remove his testicles.
Van goes berserk, he bites and snarls at every one and he won\’t let anybody within 10 metres of him. Eventually they find a South African doctor in the hospital and get him to talk to Van.
He walks up to Van and tells him \”Hey Van, die ouens moet jou knaters uithaal.\”
Van replies \”O, okay, ek dog die bliksems wil my test tickets vat.\”
Shivers
Canada: You have two cows. But who cares about beef when you\’ve got Poutine.