South African Groups Aim to Defend 'Threatened' Constitution

Over 100 organisations and over 300 people have met at the Birchwood conference centre in Ekurhuleni in the province of KwaZulu-Natal to discuss the erosion of constitutional rights, writes Magnificent Mndebele for GroundUp.

"The Constitution ... is under direct threat due to the ... nefarious activities of corrupt forces in our society that are opposed to democratic rule, the rule of law and constitutionalism," reads the conference declaration.

"We need new and innovative ways of thinking about politics, mobilising and organising to re-ignite people's power," it says. "Our point of departure should be based on clear constitutional principles, economic inclusion, values of solidarity, social and climate justice, ethical behaviour, respect, collaboration, and transparency, which must advance participatory democracy and unity."

The meeting was led by Defend Our Democracy, an organisation that was founded in March 2021. It aims to eradicate state capture, corruption and looting in the public and private sector, speak up against unsubstantiated attacks on the judiciary, demand accountability, deepen participatory democracy to achieve socio-economic justice and support campaigns of organisations that call for democratic rights.

This comes after the release of the final report of the four-year Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture where Chief Justice Raymond Zondo made several observations on decisions and actions taken by President Cyril Ramaphosa when he was deputy president of the country. The report stated that Ramaphosa, who faced heavy criticism in the document, had the responsibility to know more than he claimed to from media and civil society regarding allegations of corruptions against the Gupta family.

The initial release of the report sent shockwaves from an 87-page examination of how former president Jacob Zuma and his accomplices captured the South African Revenue Service. The report recommended prosecution against former high-ranking lawmakers and their public and private sector affiliates.

It also called for greater protection of whistleblowers and the establishment of a single, multifunctional, properly resourced and independent anti-corruption authority by the government, with a mandate to "confront the abuses inherent in the present system".