Cape Town – The DA will approach the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Monday to ensure President Jacob Zuma's appeal against a court ruling that he provide reasons for his decision to fire former finance minister Pravin Gordhan is dealt with urgently.
The DA had noted Gauteng High Court Judge Bashir Vally's ruling granting Zuma leave to appeal against Vally's earlier order that Zuma had to provide the record of decision and reasons for this decision to drop Pravin Gordhan from the cabinet, DA federal executive chairperson James Selfe said.
The DA was encouraged by Vally’s statement that: "I have come to the conclusion that there is no reasonable prospect that another court would come to a different conclusion."
However, Vally found that there were compelling reasons, mainly relating to the public interest in the case, that justified granting leave to appeal to the SCA.
Vally noted that both Zuma and the DA agreed that the matter was urgent and, as he put it, "The door remains open to the president and the DA to approach that court [the SCA] for an expedited hearing".
"The DA intends to pursue this appeal with urgency and we will be addressing a letter in this regard to the president of the SCA on Monday morning," Selfe said.
In his first ruling, Vally ordered Zuma to provide all documents and electronic records, including correspondence, reports, contracts, memoranda, evaluations, advice received, and recommendations that related to Zuma's decision.
Zuma has continuously maintained that he is empowered through the Constitution to hire and fire members of his cabinet and that the decision to axe Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas was an executive one.