FILE Photo: A GCIS released photo dated 8 September 2011 of the newly appointed Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as the head of the Constitutional Court.
JOHANNESBURG – Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng on Wednesday told the media he plans to meet with President Jacob Zuma to discuss recent attacks on the judiciary.
This comes in the wake of ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe accusing the North Gauteng High Court and the Western Cape High Court of having a "negative attitude towards government", Police Minister Nathi Nhleko claiming that judges take bribes and the government ignoring a court order that Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir be arrested.
“We want to meet with President Jacob Zuma over unfair attacks on the courts,” Mogoeng said.
“Judges are open to criticism, but it should be fair, specific. General, gratuitous criticism is unacceptable,” he stressed.
“I would like to make it clear that we are not responding to anybody – this briefing is not in response to anyone in particular. Our intention is not to individualise our response to the situation in this country in so far as if affects the judiciary," he said.
This was the first time the judiciary had to defend its actions to the public.
“There have been suggestions that judges have been prompted by others to make certain decisions. That is a notion we reject," Mogoeng said.
This really is extraordinary. Judges drawing a clear line in the sand SACourts @eNCA
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) July 8, 2015
Dikgang Moseneke: this is to reassure that none of our judges has acted improperly according to oath of office. SACourts
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) July 8, 2015
Mogoeng: I&39;m confident the President will reflect on what we have said, and reflect better after we&39;ve engaged with him...with seriousness
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) July 8, 2015
Mogoeng: this is not a moment of crisis. It is moment for brutal introspection @eNCA SACourts
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) July 8, 2015
Mogoeng asked what judges will do if gov continues to ignore court orders:we are only aware of one eyebrow raising disregard for court order
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) July 8, 2015
