EFF REJECTS THE PRESIDENCY'S STATEMENT CALLING ON FORMER PUBLIC PROTECTOR TO STOP SPEAKING ABOUT THE STATE OF CAPTURE RERPOT

11 November, 2016

The EFF rejects the Presidency's statement calling on former Public Protector Adv. Thuli Madonsela to stop speaking publicly about the State of Capture report as a post-colonial despotic attack on her basic right to freedom of speech. In a statement, the Presidency argues that Adv. Madonsela's continued public comments on the report are "unwarranted public attacks" without even saying what exactly she said that should be construed as an attack on Zuma. In addition, the Presidency holds the views that it was unethical for Adv. Madonsela to give her interview with Zuma to eNCA.

We want to warn Zuma to stop using the name of the Presidency to defend his personal interests and unethical conduct. It is impossible for anyone to speak about the State of Capture report without reflecting on how unethical and disreputable Zuma's conduct has been in terms of the Executive Code of Ethics.

However, above all, that Adv. Madonsela is the former Public Protector does not mean her freedom of expression and speech must be suspended or violated. She has the right to speak about the State of Capture report anyway and anywhere she wants. In fact, particularly now that she is no longer in that office, she ought to be considered fully as an ordinary citizen of this country who must, as all other citizens do, reflect on the work of the office of the Public Protector and Zuma himself.

If we were to follow the logic of the Presidency, Vusi Pikoli should never speak about the charges he instituted against Jacky Selebi and Zuma himself. This would obvioulsy render his entire book he wrote "My Second Initiation" as travesty since it too documents commentary on ongoing matters such as the reinstatement of the corruption charges against Zuma. Pikoli indicated that many high profile politicians wanted guarantees that upon his reinstatement, he would not reinstate charges against Zuma. Yet, this matter of the charges remains sub judiciary.

Adv. Madonsela must continue to express herself on any matter published by the office of the Public Protector from reports published before her tenure, during her tenure and even after her tenure. This is the cornerstone of our democratic practice that must never be violated. We are convinced that Zuma wants the matter to be buried in the public discourse so that he cannot suffer the public shame and humiliation his actions call for. The former Public Protector must make no apology for her continued public education of what is contained in the State of Capture report. 

This attack by the Presidency must be seen as yet another sign of the rise of post-colonial dictatorship, known for suppression of basic rights to free speech. Post-colonial dictators always trump on free speech to ensure the suppression of all who are critical of its actions. The Presidency can all go and drown themselves in the free alcohol from the Saxonwold Shebeen and leave our constitutional democracy in tact.

Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 11 November 2016