News archive

23 November 2016

Joint FUL/HSF media release: Tomorrow at 10:00 a full bench of the Pretoria High Court will hear the joint application of the Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law to compel President Zuma to suspend Advocate Shaun Abrahams, Dr Torie Pretorius SC and Advocate Sibongile Mzinyathi, pending an enquiry into their fitness to hold office.

9 November 2016

Joint FUL/HSF media release:  Last night, attorneys acting for Freedom Under Law and the Helen Suzman Foundation served an urgent application to order President Jacob Zuma to suspend Adv Shaun Abrahams, National Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Torie Pretorius SC, Head of the Priority Crimes Litigation Unit and Adv Sibongile Mzinyathi, Director of Public Prosecutions … Continue reading “Action on the NPA”

7 November 2016

Joint FUL/HSF media release: On 1 November 2016 the HSF and FUL urged the President to suspend National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams together with two of his senior staff, pending an inquiry into their fitness for office. The President was given until 16:00 on 7 November to respond. Despite due delivery of the … Continue reading “HSF and FUL to press on”

2 November 2016

Joint FUL/HSF media release: Yesterday, attorneys acting for Freedom Under Law and the Helen Suzman Foundation sent a letter to President Jacob Zuma, urging him to suspend Shaun Abrahams, the current National Director of Public Prosecutions, and Dr JP Pretorius SC and Sibongile Mzinyathi, pending enquiries into their fitness to hold office. This is a … Continue reading “Letter to the President re the NPA”

23 October 2016

Joint FUL/HSF media release: This morning, attorneys acting for Freedom Under Law and the Helen Suzman Foundation served an urgent application to have the recent criminal charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan set aside. This is after we invited NDPP Shaun Abrahams to furnish us with more information about the charges, or to withdraw them … Continue reading “Application to set aside charges against the Minister of Finance Joint FUL/HSF media release”

15 September 2016

Media release: Freedom Under Law welcomes this morning’s judgment in the High Court in Pretoria finding Advocates Jiba and Mrwebi dishonest and striking their names from the roll of advocates. This judgment demonstrates the courts’ determined opposition to corruption in high places and vindicates FUL’s decision some years ago to challenge the unlawful and ostensibly … Continue reading “Advocates Jiba and Mrwebi struck off the roll of advocates”

25 August 2016

Joint FUL/HSF media release We believe we speak on behalf of all fair-minded South Africans, irrespective of political persuasion, in showing our support for the Minister of Finance and his former colleagues at SARS and our outrage at this attack on them. Not only are the charges baseless, but the manner in which they have … Continue reading “Threatened prosecution of the Minister of Finance and former SARS colleagues”

25 August 2016

Media release Freedom Under Law respectfully welcomes and endorses the following statement by the Constitutional Court in its judgment yesterday in the case of Nkabinde and another v The Judicial Service Commission and others: In conclusion, we would be failing in our duty if we did not take this opportunity to emphasise that it is … Continue reading “Constitutional Court judgment: Nkabinde and another v The Judicial Service Commission and others“

6 August 2016

Joint FUL/Corruption Watch media release On 14 May 2015, a settlement agreement was concluded between President Jacob Zuma, the Minister of Justice Michael Masutha and the former National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Mxolisi Nxasana. Corruption Watch and Freedom Under Law are of the view that the settlement agreement and the decision to authorise such … Continue reading “Corruption Watch and Freedom Under Law go to court to review Nxasana’s R17,3-million settlement agreement”

10 May 2016

Media release Freedom Under Law (FUL) is shocked by Judge Mabel Jansen’s generalisations about rape by black men on Facebook. These statements are simply unacceptable – doubly so when made by a serving judge. FUL calls for a speedy investigation of the matter by the Judicial Service Commission. Consistent with what FUL has advanced in … Continue reading “Statement on comments made by Judge Mabel Jansen”

19 April 2016

Media release We and our co-applicants, the Helen Suzman Foundation, are currently reading the judgment. While the result is disappointing, it merely relates to the question of urgency. Of course the application to establish that Lt Gen Berning Ntlemeza’s appointment as head of the Hawks was unlawful is proceeding. We remain hopeful that we will … Continue reading “Application to find Lieutenant General Ntlemeza’s appointment as Hawks chief unlawful ‘not urgent’”

8 April 2016

Media release Yesterday morning Freedom Under Law (FUL) was astounded to learn that Judge President Hlophe of the Western Cape High Court was participating in the current meeting of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). South Africans will recall that back in 2008 the justices of the Constitutional Court laid a charge with the JSC that … Continue reading “Judge Hlophe and the Judicial Service Commission”

4 April 2016

Media release The urgent application by Freedom Under Law (FUL) in cooperation with the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) to have Lieutenant General Berning Ntlemeza prevented from exercising his powers as national head of the Hawks, pending the outcome of a review of Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko’s decision to appoint him, is due to be heard … Continue reading “To be heard this week: urgent application by Freedom Under Law (FUL) and the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) to bar Lieutenant General Ntlemeza from functioning as Hawks chief”

22 March 2016

Statement by 18 NGOs On Sunday afternoon the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) offices in Parktown, Johannesburg were the target of a military-style raid. Those conducting the raid clearly knew what they were looking for: computers and other documentation relating to the programmatic work of the HSF were taken. The brazen, co-ordinated nature of the operation … Continue reading “Raid on the Helen Suzman Foundation”

17 March 2016

Media release The urgent application launched yesterday by Freedom Under Law (FUL) and the Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) aims to have General Berning Ntlemeza prevented from exercising any of his powers as national head of the Hawks, pending the outcome of a review of Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko’s decision to appoint Ntlemeza to this position. … Continue reading “Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law go to court to review appointment of General Berning Ntlemeza as head of Hawks”