Cape Town - Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has defended the judiciary, saying it was independent and must not be subjected to political pressure by anyone.
The judiciary did not deserve the level of attacks it was receiving from political parties, he said.
This was after EFF leader Julius Malema slammed Chief Justice Raymond Zondo this week saying he was factional.
He said Justice Zondo had entered the political arena.
This was after he had also responded to a letter written by Minister Lindiwe Sisulu a few months ago.
EFF MP Yoliswa Yako said on Tuesday that the National Prosecuting Authority was factional in the way it was prosecuting some cases.
But Lamola on Tuesday said it was wrong to attack the judiciary without substantial facts or evidence.
The judiciary has over the past few months been embroiled in political matters.
Lamola said those who accuse judges must submit facts.
He described some of the accusations as conspiracies against members of the judiciary as there has been no evidence.
“It is unfortunate that some members continue to attack institutions of constitutional democracy. It is shocking that in their attack they are factional, attacking the courts and singling out certain judges without any facts, without any basis, just armed with only conspiracy, no facts, no reality and nothing.
“Such kind of conduct is very dangerous in any constitutional democracy to cast aspersions on important institutions without any facts and without any evidence and being factional,” said Lamola.
Lamola also defended the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks against other accusations of selective prosecutions.
The law enforcement agencies were doing their work on the basis of evidence before them, he said.
No political party can instruct the NPA or the Hawks on how to do their work.
To demonstrate that the Hawks were not factional they were prosecuting the Tongaat matter.
Lamola said the accusations against the NPA and the Hawks must be backed up by facts and evidence.
“You cannot isolate the courts and want to protect certain institutions. The protection must be afforded to all institutions of our constitutional democracy.
“To show that it is not informed by any facts, honourable House chairperson, for example they do not want to acknowledge that the NPA and the Hawks are prosecuting the Tongaat matter, which is a white collar crime, which is mostly white men who are being prosecuted,” said Lamola.
He reiterated that no party must tell the NPA how to prosecute. This was their work and they must be left to do it.
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