Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma’s office says the meeting he held with the Head of the Judiciary and Heads of the Legislature was successful in strengthening the working relationship between these crucial arms of the State.
The meeting was held in Cape Town on Tuesday, where the President -- as Head of the State -- met with National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete, National Council of Provinces Chairperson Thandi Modise and Head of the Judiciary Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
“The meeting was aimed at further strengthening working relations and cooperation between and among these important pillars of the democratic state,” said the Presidency.
President Zuma hosted a meeting in August between the executive and the judiciary, which discussed matters that had been of concern to them, including the independence of the judiciary. In that meeting, the parties affirmed the doctrine of the separation of powers as the fundamental principle that defines their working relations.
The Presidency on Tuesday said the Presiding Officers of Parliament joined the meeting, where the best models for interaction and cooperation between the arms of the State were further discussed and explored. They agreed on guidelines of working together in pursuit of their individual responsibilities as defined in the Constitution.
“The heads reaffirmed their collective belief in the doctrine of the separation of powers and to hold regular meetings to discuss issues of mutual concern,” said the Presidency.
It said President Zuma hailed the meeting as important and “useful in harmonising the work of all three arms, as we belong to one State”.
“We are very pleased that we have been able to sit down and discuss collectively how we should move together as different arms of the State to build our country, emphasising the importance of our human rights culture, respect for the principle of law, equality and justice, as well as the inherent dignity of all South African citizens,” said President Zuma.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said the meeting was productive.
“We reflected on the state of our constitutional democracy, its general health as well as matters of concern that we felt should be discussed very early on and regularly to avoid challenges,” said Mogoeng.
Modise said the meeting was constructive and that it affirmed that although we are different arms, we serve the "single State of South Africa”.
Mbete said the meeting gave them the opportunity to look at how the constitutional dispensation was evolving and the need to constantly to adhere to the Constitution of the Republic. - SAnews.gov.za
