Chief Justice Raymond Zondo came under fire from ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula following his remarks that Parliament and the executive would not be able to prevent state capture if attempts were made.
Delivering an opening address at the ANC Western Cape elective conference that is under way in Cape Town, Mbalula said judges were not demagogues.
“It’s like Judge Zondo now. He has got an opinion week in and week out, which is fine about him, that certain things must be done and all of that,” he said.
Mbalula said the separation of powers should be respected.
“He has done what he was supposed to do and finished,” he said referring to the state capture commission of inquiry Zondo chaired and into which he produced a report last year.
“He has handed over to other organs to do their job. That’s it. Parliament and all of that,” Mbalula said, noting that Zondo took a long time to compile his report.
“He had to change it from time to time and ask for more and more time. So with all these crooks in the country, how will it be easy to arrest somebody overnight because a judge resolved that people must be prosecuted?”
Mbalula also said National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi, her team and the National Prosecution Authority should do their job without fear or favour.
“If you put undue pressure on law enforcement, they will make mistakes. They will arrest people for cameras but those people will not be convicted. The people we chase have deep pockets,” he said.
Mbalula said the ANC should advocate for the strengthening of law enforcement agencies in the country.
He said there was mounting pressure on acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka to produce a report with particular results on the theft of dollars on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm Phala Phala.
“They chase the public protector wherever she goes. Even (suspended Public Protector Busisiwe) Mkhwebane, we never had campaigns and stopped her from doing her job, erratic as she was. We allowed her to do her job. I am saying ‘erratic’ because it has been in courts of law one after the other that she has an erratic public protector. That is what the courts have said about her.”
Mbalula also said Mkhwebane was now answering questions to the Section 194 Inquiry chaired by ANC MP Qubudile Dyantyi, who is also among those contesting for the position of Western Cape chairperson.
Mbalula also said Dyantyi, who is implicated in bribery allegations with ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina and late MP Tina Joemat-Pattersson, should finish their job.
“We are not protecting this comrade because we are not to chase comrades for flimsy reasons.”