The Presiding Officers of Parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Amos Masondo, have formally requested an urgent meeting with Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, to clarify any potential misunderstandings.

Addressing a Human Sciences Research Council symposium last week, which analysed the State capture report's impact on democracy Zondo said if there was another attempt at State capture, Parliament would fail to prevent it.

Parliament has since strongly objected to the public criticisms made by Zondo and said a meeting with the Chief Justice would be to establish a common understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of each arm of government within the context of Parliament's implementation of the commission's recommendations.

“Recognising the importance of maintaining a healthy working relationship between the Judiciary and the Legislature, the Presiding Officers have sought this meeting as a platform for constructive dialogue. The meeting is intended to address matters of concern between the Judiciary and the Legislature, specifically in relation to recent public statements made by the Chief Justice regarding Parliament's role in the implementation of the Judicial Commission into State Capture, Corruption, and Fraud in the Public Sector, Including Organs of State,” said Parliament.

It added that the Presiding Officers of Parliament were fully aware of their constitutional mandate and the need to collaborate and work harmoniously with the Judiciary.

“This meeting is an important step towards strengthening the relationship between the Judiciary and the Legislature, as well as fostering public trust and confidence in our democratic system,” Parliament said.