'Desperate DA' intent on using courts at all costs – ANC

16 November 2016

Johannesburg – The DA laying criminal charges against President Jacob Zuma is an attempt to divert attention from its failed Constitutional Court case, the ANC said on Tuesday.

"The desperation by the DA to destabilise South Africa, including its judiciary, must be rejected," ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

He was referring to the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of a DA application to have South Africa’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court declared invalid.

Kodwa claimed the party then opened a case of corruption against Zuma to deflect attention from the ICC matter.

He made the comments just hours after DA leader Mmusi Maimane laid criminal charges against Zuma at the Rosebank, Cape Town, police station.

Maimane said they believed former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s "State of Capture" report provided extensive prima facie evidence of corruption.

Ideological issues

Kodwa said Madonsela’s report was inconclusive and she did not single out specific parties or individuals in wrongdoing.

Judges needed to resist the temptation to become involved in any political or ideological issues.

He criticised the DA for trying to take the ICC matter to the highest court in the land. There were no constitutional issues behind the decision to withdraw from the ICC.

While the report did not apportion blame, the allegations it contained had to be verified, Kodwa said.

On October 21, Justice Minister Michael Masutha told reporters that South Africa had initiated the process of withdrawing from the ICC by notifying the United Nations of its intention to revoke its ratification of the Rome Statute, which established the court.

The decision followed several court judgments that the government violated the law by not arresting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir during his visit to South Africa in June last year. The ICC wants him to stand trial on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.