Fewer than 30 members, mostly young women, joined MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus outside the Concourt building.
Johannesburg – THE uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association’s (MKMVA) planned protest action in support of former president Jacob Zuma against the Zondo Commission’s court application for him to be jailed attracted a poor turnout at the Constitutional Court on Thursday.
Fewer than 30 members, mostly young women, joined MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus outside the Concourt building.
Some were wearing Congress of SA Students (Cosas) T-shirts, while others were wearing ANC T-shirts. Some of these read “Bekezela Msholozi”, but the rain seemed to have derailed their planned action.
These members spent most of the early morning under a tree but had to take cover as more rain fell.
Equally at the Concourt, were members of Action South Africa – a political party newly founded by former DA member and City of Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba.
The two organisations were at the Concourt for contrasting reasons, with Action SA evidently in support of the Zondo Commission’s quest for Zuma to be jailed for two years for allegedly defying the Concourt’s ruling which ordered him to testify at the commission.
Some of the Action SA supporters from the Joburg inner city came carrying posters calling on Zuma to be jailed. One read: “Ordinary citizens go to jail. Who the hell is Zuma?”
There was also a big poster hung on the premises with the message: “Zuma must go to jail.”
The rain, however, prevented these groupings, including the Defenders of the Constitution – who wore orange overalls to symbolise the imprisonment they hope those guilty of corruption will face – from freely expressing their purpose in converging at the Concourt.
Niehaus was adamant that it would be unfair for the Concourt to impose a prison sentence for Zuma.
“We came to the Constitutional Court to express our unhappiness with the commission and especially Judge Zondo for his unfair treatment of president Zuma. Zuma made it clear that he would not get a fair hearing.
“I can’t prejudge the outcome of the Concourt but I sincerely hope that they would not impose a prison sentence. It will lead to anger and outrage throughout the country. It will also lead to political and social instability in the country and within the ANC,” Niehaus said.
He added that a prison sentence for Zuma would further deepen factional battles, but emphasised that his wish was for the court to reject the Zondo Commission’s application.
“Zuma should be allowed to present his appeal in the High Court. Judge Zondo must step down and that would allow Zuma to appear before the commission. It is only when Judge Zondo steps down that president Zuma will co-operate with the commission,” Niehaus said.
But Zark Lebatleng, Action SA constituency campaign manager, held a different view, saying people who undermine court decisions must be held accountable.
“If the rule of law is upheld, everyone who commits any criminal acts will know that the law will catch up with him or her,” Lebatleng said.
Political Bureau
