Respecting the judiciary does not mean they should be above criticism, said SA Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Blade Nzimande, as he called for a political solution to end ANC president Jacob Zuma's legal worries.

"There is no institution above criticism, but our criticism must be aimed at serious gaps in the judiciary," he said after the party's central committee meeting this weekend.

Nzimande was commenting on weekend statements by ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, who appeared to be defending the judiciary against attacks from his party, alliance partners and other pro-Zuma groups.

On Friday, the Congress of SA Students (Cosas) protested outside the Constitutional Court against the judiciary's treatment of Zuma.

Chief Justice Pius Lange was criticised by Cosas, prompting Justice Minister Brigitte Mabandla to come to his defence yesterday, saying Cosas was "ill-informed".

"Attacking state institutions such as the judiciary undermines governance and threatens the stability of the country," Mabandla said.

Motlanthe, who seemed to be contradicting the views of Zuma supporters, said the comments appeared to have been made out of ignorance, adding the attacks were baseless and seemed to have no purpose other than to delay the trial.

But Nzimande, who has criticised the judiciary's handling of the Zuma trial, said yesterday Motlanthe was not saying anything the SACP did not agree with.

"He is saying something that is no different from what we have been saying, that we must respect the judiciary, but at the same time we have said it does not mean that the judiciary cannot be criticised."

The central committee expressed its support for Zuma again yesterday, arguing that the country would be taken to the brink of disaster if a political solution was not found to save Zuma from going to trial.

Nzimande said a judicial commission of inquiry could be considered as a possible solution.

He said his party would even support a general amnesty for those found guilty (in the multi-billion rand arms deal), but argued that continuation of Zuma's corruption trial was not in the interests of the country or justice.

Nzimande said that Zuma's case had ceased to be a legal matter, and was now a political challenge.

But Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille stated emphatically that the arms deal corruption allegations against Zuma must come before the courts.

"If Zuma is found guilty, then he will have been proved to be a crook. If that is the case, then he will belong in jail and not the presidency," she said.

With acknowledgements to Boyd Webb and Cape Argus.