Independent Democrats Leader Patricia de Lille is calling on the South African President to urgently hold a referendum on the fate of the Scorpions. 

`The ANC has arrogantly claimed that the duty of Parliament is to simply implement the policy of the ruling party, even if it runs counter to the will of the people,’ says Ms De Lille. 

`The ANC has no mandate from the electorate to disband the Scorpions as it never campaigned on this issue in the elections in 2004 nor did they inform voters of their intention at that time. They have no mandate to implement such a controversial policy of national importance without first holding a national referendum on the issue,’ says De Lille. 

`The ANC has shown that it does not care about what the people of South Africa think. They have dismissed petitions and public submissions as well as opinion polls showing that the majority of South Africans are opposed to the disbandment of the Scorpions. 

`If the ANC is so sure of its mandate despite all evidence to the contrary, then it should be prepared to test it in a national referendum,’ De Lille says.   

The President has a right to call for a National Referendum in terms of the provision of the constitution. 

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