Zuma tenders apology to Western Cape division of the High Court
Last year, the superior court lamented the party, calling its utterances an attack on the judiciary because they were offensive, disrespectful and deliberately intended to impugn the dignity of the court and the judiciary.
FILE: The president of uMkhonto weSizwe Party Jacob Zuma during the party’s media briefing in Johannesburg on 22 August 2024. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - The leader of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, Jacob Zuma, has tendered an apology to the Western Cape division of the High Court.
Last year, the superior court lamented the party, calling its utterances an attack on the judiciary because they were offensive, disrespectful and deliberately intended to impugn the dignity of the court and the judiciary.
The party called the court's previous judgement incompetent, irrational and absurd after its parliamentary leader, Dr John Hlophe, was temporarily barred from sitting on the Judicial Service Commission.
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In its December judgment, dismissing the MK Party’s application for leave to appeal, the Western Cape High Court had strong words for the official opposition.
The court labelled the party's remarks as contemptuous, aggressive and an affront to its constitutional obligations.
Zuma has since offered a qualified apology – saying the party's leaders are not responsible for drafting statements.
He added the only message to read from the release was that the official opposition strongly disagrees with the court’s judgment.
However, Zuma extended an apology to the extent that they were found to be objectively and independently offensive to the judiciary.
However, the Democratic Alliance (DA) which challenged Dr John Hlophe’s designation to the Judicial Service Commission(JSC) remains dissatisfied with the apology and says it reserves its right to pursue contempt of court proceedings against Hlophe and the party.