Jacob Zuma

Members of the government assail the constitutional model with impunity, of which Lindiwe Sisulu is perhaps the highest-profile example. In a similar fashion, ...

But a combination of a determination by populists to employ the Constitution for its own destruction and the failure of the government to take seriously its constitutional obligations continue to pose a frightening threat to democracy in this country. It is a classic example of the degradation of the criminal justice system, which has failed to produce an expeditious and fair result in this case. These applications, which seek to prevent the legal system from bringing cases to a conclusion (whether for or against the applicants), undermine the very legitimacy of the system. That decay is particularly evident in the widespread subversion of democratic institutions and the values that these institutions are intended to promote. Doubtless, Zuma’s legal team will seek to procure this certificate and pursue the case, which, in turn, will result in further postponement applications, even if the attempt to appeal against the judgment of Justice Piet Koen concerning Downer’s removal from prosecuting the case is unsuccessful. It has become almost trite to observe that the erosion of democracy is now a global phenomenon.