The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) notes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s intention to exercise his legal rights to take the Section 89 Panel Report upon Review.
We welcome the President’s taking the nation into confidence on this pressing matter and are comforted by his consistent and principled affirmation of the judiciary’s independence and its constitutionally enshrined role with regards to holding the executive accountable at all times.
Whilst the Report and its allegations are a matter of great concern to all, it is important that space be provided to Parliament to fulfill its responsibilities in full, including as directed by the Constitutional Court. We expect all Members of Parliament, across party lines, to uphold the spirit and letter of the Constitution at all times, in particular in how it processes these serious matters of state. Now is not the time to play to the public gallery, irrespective of the pending local elections and politicians’ desperation for social media likes and media headlines. This is more so during these uncertain and sensitive times, both global and domestic.
It is equally sacrosanct that President Ramaphosa be afforded his constitutionally guaranteed rights to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, or in the event of an impeachment, by Parliament. Social media hysteria has no legal standing.
Whilst none would wish for these messy headlines, especially when the nation is grappling with high unemployment, weak economic growth, rising costs of living, entrenched poverty and inequality, endemic crime and corruption, and embattled public and municipal services. We nonetheless take pride that ours is a robust constitutional democracy where all are subjected to oversight by Parliament, scrutiny by the judiciary and ultimately the public’s verdict. This was built and achieved in no small part by the liberation movement led by the Tripartite Alliance. We must at all times defend these fundamental tenets of our nation.
Issued by COSATU
Matthew Parks (COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator)
Mobile: 082 785 0687
Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za
