courts

I'm hopping mad. Zacob Zuma, the man who is likely to be South Africa's next president, is in court today, to try and ward off a corruption case against him. It's the latest in a long series of court appearances, as Zuma's lawyers try every tactic to avoid or postpone his corruption trial. That's not why I'm mad. I'm mad about the stance that Zuma's party, the ANC, is taking on the case.

I have been reading the text of a remarkable court judgment delivered by judge MP Tsoka, of the High Court of South Africa, at the end of April this year. It is an incredible document, and amid all the bad news coming our way lately, gives me some hope and encouragement. The judgment concerns a case brought by residents of the township of Phiri in Johannesburg, asking the court to declare unlawful, the installation of pre-paid water meters in their properties.