The party has also challenged the veil of secrecy surrounding these disclosures, which they suggest are heavily protected and only made public at the request of the Minister. “These same disclosures are kept under lock-and-key, unless a written request is made to the Minister to be made public,” the statement continued. With clarity and public accountability, MK argued for the release of all judicial disclosures to foster greater trust within South African society. “If members of Parliament and Ministers can be subjected to scrutiny and accountability, then why shouldn’t judges?” it questioned.
In a broader context, the judiciary has faced criticism for alleged political interference through court rulings that opposition parties claim undermine the will of the electorate. Recent landmark decisions, such as the Constitutional Court ruling that deemed unconstitutional a section of the Citizenship Act, have been met with mixed reactions. This ruling allows individuals who lost their South African citizenship to reclaim it if they have acquired citizenship in another country, a decision celebrated by the Democratic Alliance (DA) after a decade-long legal battle.
The DA singled out Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi for allegedly stripping over 2 million citizens of their rights, while the African Transformation Movement has slammed the judgment, calling for a review of the constitution, claiming it fails to serve the majority it was designed to protect.