Pretoria High Court rules against Glenister

By Anele Siwa
28 May 2008

Today a move by Hugh Glenister to prevent government from disbanding the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) known as Scorpions was turned down by Pretoria High Court.

The Pretoria High Court has struck Glenister’s application claiming that it is not in its jurisdiction to rule the matter.

It is reported that the court found that the principle of separation of powers prevents it from interfering with the executive’s power to prepare and initiate legislation.

"The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), having consistently opposed the disbanding of the Scorpions, is clearly disappointed with this morning’s judgement,” says ACDP MP and spokesperson on justice matters, Steve Swart.

Amid last moth five opposition parties joined forces to support the move by Glenister as friends of the court.
It is not clear whether the five opposition parties will continue their struggle to oppose government from disbanding the Scorpions.

“We wish to commend Mr Hugh Glenister for his courage and initiative with his court application, which the ACDP formally supported as a friend of the court,” says Swart.

Meanwhile South African Communist Party (SACP) has welcomed the court ruling.

”The ruling is indeed a further reaffirmation of the principle of separation of powers and it should be a lesson that our courts should not be abused by the reactionary forces to prevent other institutions of our democratic dispensation to execute their responsibilities,” says Malesela Maleka SACP Spokesperson.
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