ANC rejects claims that Mantashe attacked judiciary

He was entitled to voice his concerns when judges conducted themselves improperly, the party wrote in its online publication, ANC Today. 'While society must continually defend the independence and integrity of the judiciary, there is equally a responsibility on judges themselves to uphold the highest standards of fairness, honesty and objectivity,' it said. Like all public institutions, the judiciary should expect its actions to be scrutinised, discussed and criticised. 'That is not unhealthy in a democracy,' it added. However, it went on: 'Mantashe did not say that the actions of the Constitutional Court judges were counter-revolutionary. But he did say that their actions brought the highest court in the land into disrepute,' the report claimed. A Mail & Guardian Online report says that while the ANC admitted that Mantashe had used the term 'counter-revolutionary' during his speech at the ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial conference two weeks ago, it said the statement was not directed at the judges. 'Reporters ... made no distinction between those forces that were 'counter-revolutionary' and those whose actions had placed the ANC 'under siege'. They are not necessarily the same, and he had not suggested that they were necessarily the same,' the ANC said. Full ANC Today report Full Mail & Guardian Online report

Newly-elected ANC Women's League president Angie Motshekga has also taken a pot shot at the Bench. In an interview with Rapport, she says it is time for the Bench to put its house in order, referring to the allegations and counter-allegations between Cape Judge-President John Hlophe and the judges of the Constitutional Court. 'We should have confidence in the Bench. This mud-slinging must end. I agree fully with Matashe,' she said, adding the allegations against Hlophe were part of a plot to undermine ANC president Jacob Zuma. Full report in Rapport

And the ANC Youth League has continued it unrelenting assault 'on those who oppose Zuma'. Remnants of the counter-revolution including the DA and those opposed to Zuma becoming SA's next President must be eliminated, ANC Youth League president Julius Malema said yesterday, according to a report on the News24 site. Malema said Zuma would not only be the face of the ANC election campaign in 2009, he would also be 'the next President of SA'. 'The political campaign to rubbish his name and destroy his political career will not succeed.' The NPA was involved in a 'relentless pursuit of an innocent man using state resources', he added. Full report on the News24 site