DEFAMATION CASE AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT ZUMA
On 25 July 2019, just over a year ago, the former President made a startling and false allegation against me, calling me a known enemy agent and implying that I was an apartheid spy, soon after making similar ludicrous claims at the Zondo commission that comrades Siphiwe Nyanda and Ngoako Ramathlodi were apartheid spies. False accusations are irresponsible and dangerous.
I welcome the decision of the Constitutional Court, following the failed appeal of the former President at the Supreme Court of Appeal, to dismiss with costs his appeal to the highest court, for reasons that it bears no reasonable prospects of success.
It has been a difficult year in our country, While our law enforcement agencies are investigating and bringing to book those who have over years pillaged and looted our country, a new scourge of corruption and looting is unfolding, Those involved in this disgraceful conduct have raised the ire of society at large, Now is the time for as to unite behind the efforts of President Ramaphosa to put an end to these manifestations of greed and heartless destruction of the very fabric that makes up our diverse nation.
The events unfolding are shameful and severely tarnish the credibility of the ANC, as expressed in the recent statement of the NEC of the ANC. I am firmly of the view that the vast majority of ANC members are honest people with integrity, serving selflessly and committed to the objective set out in the ANC constitution "to unite all the people of South Africa, Africans in particular, Pr the complete liberation of the country from all forms of discrimination and national oppression ,,, and transform South Africa as rapidly as possible into a united, non-racial, non-sexist and democratic country,,."
We owe it to future generations, in honour of those who sacrificed so much in leading us to democracy, including comrades Mlangeni, Goldberg and Nkadimeng, to unite and commit ourselves across all formations of society, and to throw our weight behind President Ramaphosa to rebuild our country, Economic growth and prosperity, reversing inequality, unemployment and poverty requires all hands on deck, I again call on all South Africans to live out our national motto "united in diversity", make a firm commitment to zero tolerance of corruption in any form and build the country our Constitution envisions,
This is not going to be achieved by anyone but ourselves.
Statement issued by Derek Hanekom, 7 August 2020
