In the last few weeks Zimbabwe’s Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Patrick Chinamasa, has sought to attack the SADC Tribunal, primarily alleging that it has been established in violation of international law.  In doing so the Minister not only fundamentally misrepresents the position at international law – as is evident from the attached legal opinion – but also attacks the integrity of SADC and its processes and, by extension, those member states which seek to uphold this institution.  It is no accident that the Zimbabwean government, against which the SADC Tribunal has ruled, is the author of these unjustified attacks. It now seeks to do at the regional level what it has done domestically on countless occasions – subvert the rule of law.

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