President Jacob Zuma's appeal against the North Gauteng High Court judgment ordering him to establish an independent judicial commission to investigate state capture should be viewed as a serious cause for concern, the South African Communist Party (SACP) has said.
The alliance partner on Saturday issued a statement in which it stated the appeal is a "further delaying tactic".
The High Court in Pretoria two weeks ago rejected Zuma's application to review former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's remedial action on state capture, ordering him to appoint a commission of inquiry with a judge chosen by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
"South Africa needs to root out corruption in all its manifestations if it is to become a prosperous society underpinned by a fully developed democracy without the exploitation of public resources, national wealth and one person by another," the statement said.
All Alliance partners‚ inclusive of the ANC‚ and therefore without exception‚ and a wide range of other deeply concerned South Africans welcomed the judgment and called on President Zuma to comply.
The SACP acknowledged that it was the first organisation to call for an independent commission to investigate state capture, adding its support for the commission however "goes beyond historical fact and is a matter of fundamental principle".
The ANC, at its 54th National Conference, adopted a resolution that a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture should be established immediately.