‘Independence of judiciary must be respected,’ says Ramaphosa on Zuma court victories

President Cyril Ramaphosa says it is not his place to second-guess judgments and what judges say.

Ramaphosa was responding to questions about former president Jacob Zuma’s Electoral Court victory.

The Electoral Court overturned a decision of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to bar Zuma from the MK party’s parliamentary list due to his 15-month prison sentence.

However, the Electoral Court overturned the IEC’s decision to Zuma being unable to appeal his prison sentence, the court explained in its ruling on Friday.

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“In my view the sentence that was imposed on Mr Zuma cannot be said to be a sentence which the section contemplates,” the judgment read.

The IEC has since turned to the Constitutional Court (ConCourt), seeking clarity on the interpretation of Section 47(1)(e) of the Constitution.

Ramaphosa on Zuma

At his Siyanqoba ANC rally at the Phuthaditjhaba Stadium in Qwaqwa, Free State, on Sunday, Ramaphosa told the media it was not his place to second-guess judges.

“It’s not given for me to be second-guessing what the judges of our country said. I leave the judges to make pronouncements, to make their judgements. For me, as head of state, it is to give credence to the fact that the independence of the judiciary must be respected,” Ramaphosa said.

ALSO READ: ConCourt gives Zuma and MK party more time

“When the judges issue their judgements, all of us must accept those judgements and if we have to appeal, we appeal on various reasons. I leave that to the judges’ interpretation and those who want to appeal will take it forward.”

Zuma has also scored victories against the ANC. This after the Durban High Court dismissed the ruling party’s opposition to the MK party’s use of the uMkhonto weSizwe name and logo.

The ANC wanted to stop the MK party from using the name and logo linked to the ANC’s armed wing uMkhonto weSizwe.

The ruling party’s secretary-general Fikile Mbalula announced last week that it would appeal the ruling.

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