MEDIA STATEMENT ISSUED AT THE INSTANCE OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMISSION ON THE JUDGMENT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT IN THE MATTER BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMISSION AND MR JACOB GEDLEYIHLEKISA ZUMA ON THE 29TH JUNE, 2021:

29 June 2021

1. The Commission welcomes the judgment of the Constitutional Court which found Mr Zuma guilty of contempt of Court and sentenced him to a 15 months’ term of imprisonment for his defiance of the order of the Constitutional Court that he should comply with summonses issued by the Commission and appear before the Commission.

2. The Commission views the judgment as one of great importance for the rule of law, the principle of equality before the law, the primacy of our Constitution and the protection of our constitutional democracy.

3. The judgment is also significant for the independence of our judiciary. In the Commission’s view the judgment sends a profoundly important message to all in our country that there are serious consequences for anyone who defies summonses and orders of courts and that such conduct will not be tolerated, no matter what the person’s status is in society.

4. The Commission will continue with its work in the knowledge that the highest court in the land has made it clear that summonses issued by the Commission must be complied with and orders of courts must be obeyed.

Statement issued by Prof. Itumeleng Mosala, Secretary of the Commission at the instance of the Chairperson, 29 June 2021