MK Party targets 'lavish lifestyle' of South African judges

Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has called for sweeping reforms to ensure greater transparency and accountability within South Africa's judiciary. The party has demanded the immediate implementation of lifestyle audits and the compulsory declaration of assets for all judges, from the Constitutional Court to magistrate level.

In a statement released Tuesday morning, MK Party national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said the party is drawing "a clear line in the sand," arguing that if Members of Parliament - elected by the public and accountable to them - are legally required to disclose their assets, then judges, who wield enormous constitutional power, should be held to the same if not higher standards.

"Judges must be held to an even higher standard of scrutiny and criticism in society," Ndhlela said. "South Africa cannot afford to have a judiciary that is shielded from the same transparency expected of other arms of state."

Ndhlela emphasized that while judges are central to interpreting the law and making decisions that affect the lives and freedoms of all citizens, they are not immune to human error, bias, or undue influence. He described the perception that judges are somehow above scrutiny as a dangerous myth that must be challenged in order to preserve public trust in the judiciary.

He added that the MK Party, once represented in Parliament, intends to push for constitutional amendments to reinforce parliamentary sovereignty. According to the party, elected lawmakers should be the ultimate expression of the people's will, and the judiciary must not be allowed to override that mandate.

"The judiciary interprets the law. It does not make law. Parliament must reflect the will of the people, and that sovereignty must not be diluted," said Ndhlela.

The party is calling for lifestyle audits to be conducted independently and regularly. These audits, it says, should examine judges' assets, financial relationships, political affiliations, tax status, and international travel history over the last five years. Ndhlela warned that a lack of scrutiny could place the rule of law at risk, especially if some judges are living lifestyles that raise questions about outside influence or corruption.

"The people of South Africa deserve to know who funds the lavish lifestyles of some judges," he said. "As long as judges continue to operate in a cocoon of untouchability, the rule of law remains at risk. Accountability must be universal, not selective."

Ndhlela insisted that the proposal is not an attack on the judiciary but rather a defence of democracy. Transparency, he argued, is essential to maintaining the integrity of public institutions.

"The integrity of our courts depends not only on the law, but on public trust. And that trust must be earned through openness, not opacity," he said.

He concluded by saying the MK Party will continue to press for the judiciary to meet the same ethical standards expected of other public officials. "The days of sacred cows are over. South Africans are watching, and they demand answers."