By: Natasha Archary
DA leader John Steenhuisen has slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa for reportedly having a secret meeting with Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, as “completely inappropriate.”
Steenhuisen has questioned the timing of the President’s meeting with Zondo as the final part of the State Capture Report was to be submitted.
The final part of the report was due to be handed over to Ramaphosa on 15 June.
According to Steenhuisen the President met with Zondo on Monday, 20 June to discuss the timing of the handover. A meeting the DA has called wrong and deeply unethical.
“This constitutes a dangerous and unacceptable interference in the judicial process which casts a long shadow over both the independence of South Africa’s judiciary, and the credibility of the Presidency.
At a time when trust in the Presidency is at an all-time low, any suggestion that the President may be interfering with the independent work of the Commission or manipulating the timing of the report’s release is rightfully met with suspicion.”
John Steenhuisen calls the President’s secret meeting with Zondo completely inappropriate
Steenhuisen’s condemnation of the meeting comes as the DA released a documentary on the cause of corruption in South Africa.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has released a statement rejecting statements of interference with the Judiciary and says Ramaphosa is still waiting for the report.
As of 23h00, 20 June 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa had as per the statement, still not received any form of copy of the final report from the Commission.
The Presidency claims there was no meeting between Ramaphosa and the Chief Justice, but a brief telephone call between the two.
“In the morning of the 20th of June 2022, President Ramaphosa and Chief Justice Zondo held a brief telephone call in which the Chief Justice offered reassurance on the delivery of the report and discussed the coordination for the handover ceremony.”
The Presidency denies a secret meeting took place
An announcement will be made by the Presidency as soon as the final part of the report is received.
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