'We continue to respect judicial system'

Even when proceedings were not in favour of the ANC, the party would continue to respect the country's justice system, its spokesman Smuts Ngonyama said yesterday.

He added that the party believed that justice had been done with the sentencing of Schabir Shaik to an effective 15 years in jail for corruption.

"We will continue to fight for democracy and fight for justice even when the processes do not favour the ANC. We will continue to respect the judicial system," he said.

It was important too that the rights of individuals and the constitution were equally respected, he added.

"Everything must be done in order to make sure that justice is done. We believe that has happened now that the sentence has been meted out and the appeal process has been applied for," he said.

SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande said the party did not wish to comment on the sentence handed down.

Cosatu spokesman Paul Notyhawa said the union welcomed the judgment because Shaik, "unlike Zuma", was afforded the opportunity to defend himself in court.

"He still has the chance to appeal against the sentence if he is not satisfied," he said.

Most of the other political parties welcomed the judgment with many agreeing that Judge Hilary Squires's "meticulous" reasoning had sent a clear message that the courts would not tolerate corruption of any kind.

The Freedom Front Plus's Corné Mulder said the sentence sent a clear message that the courts were taking the issue of corruption "very seriously".

This was echoed by the DA which also applauded the "meticulous and detailed" manner in which Judge Squires had set out the reasons for imposing the mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for both corruption charges which will run concurrently.

"This and the cumulative fines on Shaik's companies of well over R5 million sends a strong message that corruption must not be tolerated.

"There is still unfinished business. The DA has maintained since August, 2003, that the Deputy President, Jacob Zuma, should have been charged with Shaik. We believe he should be charged now in view of Judge Squires's finding that he was complicit in both counts of corruption," the party's justice spokeswoman Sheila Camerer said.

Leader of the Independent Democrats Patricia de Lille said the independence of the judiciary had "proven itself admirably".

"It has shown how ineffectual and useless both parliament and the executive have been in dealing with this major global incident. We were concerned how this would affect our global image if justice had not been done," she said.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said the party was happy with "phase one" of the prosecution process.

"Schabir Shaik has been prosecuted as the corruptor. Phase two must necessarily be to prosecute the corruptee.

"The judge has already indicated that there was a generally corrupt relationship between Messrs Shaik and Zuma; there is therefore no uncertainty about who should be prosecuted next," Holomisa said.

Sipho Mfundisi, of the UCDP, said the party had hoped for a heavier sentence for Shaik.

Azapo's Pandelani Nefolovhodwe that although Zuma should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, the issue posed a challenge to the ANC because keeping Zuma in the cabinet would "portray the government and South Africa as being tolerant of corruption".

The ACDP also welcomed the sentence and repeated its call for Zuma's resignation.

The PAC's Themba Godi said the sentence assured ordinary people that the country's laws would be applied evenly to root out all sorts of crimes.

"It is good because white collar crime costs the country millions of rand that can be use to improve the lives of the poor."

With acknowledgements to Thokozani Mtshali, Sheena Adams and the Cape Times.