The IFP said today that the Deputy President had a legitimate complaint but rejected the Report on the Public Protectors finding that the National Director of Public Prosecutors failed to co-operate with the Public Protector

Mr JH Van Der Merwe MP, IFP Justice Spokesperson, was speaking on the Report of the Public Protector in the National Assembly.

Van Der Merwe said that the IFP was "satisfied that the institutions of the Public Protector and National Directorate of Public Prosecutions have not been damaged", but believed that the Deputy President had a legitimate complaint that his right to human dignity had been infringed. The National Director of Public Prosecutions statement, per se, "was unwarranted and infringed on the dignity of Mr Zuma and prejudiced his reputation."

Van Der Merwe recalled that the IFP and other parties had insisted on calling the National Director of Public Prosecutions to come and explain why he had made this statement, but that the Committee was not prepared to call him.

The IFP, accordingly, disagrees with paragraph 6(b) of the Report, as the Party is not prepared to express its disapproval with the statement by the National Director of Public Prosecutions because he was not given the opportunity to state his case.

Van Der Merwe said that the IFP disagrees with the Findings 24.4, which refers to the alleged "failure" of the National Director to co-operate with the Public Protector, as there is "ample proof that the National Director forwarded a full report to the Minister who duly passed it on to the Public Protector. The National Director refused to give further information because he rightly regarded the matter as sub judice."