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Responding to the North Gauteng High Court Ruling against President Jacob Zuma

In 2015 the Dominicans in South Africa (an order of priests and brothers in the Catholic Church founded by St. Dominic in 1216) were the first complainants to approach the former Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela, requesting that she investigate State Capture. The Dominicans had become increasingly aware of the growing allegations that South Africa’s hard-fought democracy was being eroded by those who were supposed to protect it, including the president and other state officials close to him.

Advocate Madonsela, responding to the complainants, launched an investigation. Her report recommended that a judicial inquiry be appointed, headed by a judge, because the president was conflicted.

President Zuma, who did not cooperate with the public protector’s investigation, objected to the instruction. He arrogantly argued that only he, as president, has the power to make such decisions. He said that he would take the report on review. He has since then, done nothing else but deceive and abuse the country’s judicial system to prevent this important commission from being set up.

The landmark judgement handed down by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday is a victory for the people of South Africa, the former public protector and the Dominicans who initiated this investigation. Judge Dunstan Mlambo said that the remedial action ordered by Advocate Madonsela was “reasonable, rational and appropriate.”

Judge Mlambo further confirmed the complainant’s suspicions saying that the president had a “personal conflict” and this presents an “insurmountable obstacle for [him] and lends credence” to the public protector’s recommendation. He also said that the president’s review application was a “non-starter and the president was seriously reckless in pursuing it as he has done.” He said that the president was “ill-advised” and “had no justifiable basis to simply ignore the impact of corruption on the South African public.” It was precisely the impact of corruption on ordinary South Africans, especially the poor, that led the Dominicans to request an investigation.

In his judgement Mlambo said that President Zuma’s conduct “falls far short of the expectation on him as the head of state to support institutions of democracy.” The complainants concern, therefore, that South Africa’s democracy is not in safe and trustworthy hands and is being undermined is a reality that needs to be investigated.

Zuma’s refusal to cooperate with the law and follow the recommendations of the public protector reveals yet again that he has respect neither for his office nor the people of South Africa. Judge Mlambo noted that he had “an opportunity to confront and address the problem” but failed to do so.

The judgement in the high court damningly said that President Zuma was “vindicating his personal interest when initiating this litigation,” and ordered that Advocate Thuli Madonsela’s remedial actions be upheld.  The Jesuit Institute supports the court’s decision and agrees that this must be done so that a credible investigation can be carried out.

The Jesuit Institute South Africa commends the complainants for approaching the public protector in the interest of truth and the common good, key principles in Catholic Social Teaching.

The Institute further commends the judiciary for being a courageous moral compass. South Africans can be proud of our judiciary which has never failed to hold those who are meant to serve the people of the country accountable when leadership have shown, over and over, that they have no intention of being honest or of service.

We have noted the ANC’s response to the judgement and call on the party, once and for all, to act decisively against its president who has not only damaged the party’s reputation but also abused the country’s justice system and caused harm to the nation. President Jacob Zuma has proved, once again, that he does not have the integrity to lead. He is a compromised man whose dishonesty is a burden to South Africa. He is dangerous because he is either ignorant of the law or chooses, deliberately, to snub the law. He and his cronies can no longer be shielded.

ENDS
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For more information contact:

Fr Russell Pollitt SJ, Director. Tel +27 82 737 2054

or email r.pollitt@jesuitinstitute.org.za

Fr Anthony Egan SJ, Ethicist. Tel +27 72 938 4553

or email a.egan@jesuitinstitute.org.za

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Please see the attached letter from Archbishop Brislin, which includes the most recent clergy changes in the Archdiocese of Cape Town.

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Bible Sunday will be celebrated on Sunday 27 August 2017. Attached please find a poster advertising this and a PDF booklet to aid you in your celebration.

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How can we believe in an all-loving and all-powerful God when there is so much suffering around us?

This is the most difficult religious question of all time. Why does God not just wipe out all suffering? Why does God seem so silent in the midst of so much pain?

There have been many attempts to answer this question, by some of the best theological minds in history. Those who have suffered deeply too, have also tried articulating an answer to this question. It’s impossible to say much about this in 500 words, but here goes…

First, we need to confront the notion that believing in God or having faith makes us immune to tragedy, suffering, illness and pain. We often want an ‘aspirin’ God and believe that somehow our faith should be rewarded with lives that are easy and suffering-free. God never promised us pain-free lives. God deals with suffering differently to our ‘by-pass pain at all cost’ approach.

Jesus reveals a God who is not a rescuer but a redeemer. God does not protect us from pain, but enters into our pain and ultimately redeems it. This sounds pithy but it is not. What is ultimately at stake is human freedom and God’s respect for our freedom. God gives us freedom and, unlike most people, refuses to violate that freedom even when it might seem best to do so. It’s the price of the gift to the giver. This leaves us in a lot of pain sometimes, because of our own poor judgement or that of others. Respect demands that God does not rescue us in these cases but, rather, God redeems.

Fr. Ronald Rolhesier OMI says that a reading of the story of Lazarus offers some insight. Lazarus dies, Jesus is told but he does not rush to the dead man’s family right away. When he arrives at the house, two days later, he is met by the statement from Lazarus’s sister Martha “If you had been here my brother would not have died”. The statement really is the timeless one everyone wrestles with: “Where were you when tragedy struck?” In other words: Where is God when there is suffering? Mary, the other sister, asks the identical question.

Jesus does not answer. He becomes, we are told “distressed” and asks where Lazarus has been put. We are then told Jesus weeps. That’s God’s answer: he enters into suffering, helplessness and pain. He then raises Jesus from the dead.

The same happens to Jesus. He is not rescued from the cross by the Father. He dies on the cross then the Father raises him to life.

God is not indifferent to suffering. When we are hurt badly, unfairly, painfully, it is difficult to believe in an all-powerful God. Sometimes, however, the only answer to suffering is the one Jesus offers to the Lazarus sisters – shared pain, distress, tears, helplessness. There is no attempt to explain his seeming absence. The challenge is, rather, to be in that very painful space trusting that God is present and, in the end, rest assured that we will be redeemed by God’s embrace.

By Russell Pollitt SJ

This year’s Winter Living Theology, presented by Fr Thomas Weston SJ, was held at Christ the King hall, Pinelands on 19 July 2017. The topic was: Finding God in Addiction: A Pastoral Response to Addiction and Recovery. Below are some pictures of the event.

Jesuit Institute Deputy Director Ursula van Nierop and Fr Tom Weston SJ

Registration

Attendees

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