PRESS STATEMENT: #Africa4Palestine disappointed by Mogoeng’s refusal to comply and apologise
14 March 2021
The human rights organization #Africa4Palestine is disappointed by South Africa’s Chief Justice’s decision not to comply with the ruling of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). The Judicial Conduct Committee of the JSC, on 04 March 2021, provided South Africa’s top judge, Chief Justice Mogoeng, 10 days to apologise for his pro-Israel and anti-Palestine comments made last year in June. It has now been 10 days, and the JSC has issued a statement this morning reading:
“The Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa, Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has signified his intention to appeal the decision made by Mojapelo DJP, a member of the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC)…the JCC will in due course determine the date on which the appeal would be heard by at least three of its members. Members of the JCC who are eligible to hear the appeal are Deputy Chief Justice R M M Zondo, Justices D H Zondi, N Dambuza and M Victor. (Click here for the full JSC statement released today)
We are led to understand by our legal representatives that #Africa4Palestine, being the primary complainant, will be afforded the opportunity to make submissions in the upcoming appeals process. Our legal team includes Advocate Ben Winks of the Johannesburg Bar, Advocate Sheldon Magardie of the Cape Town Bar, Attorney Yasin Bham and a Senior Counsel Member of the Johannesburg Bar. We are confident that the appeals process will result in the same conclusion – that the Chief Justice will have to retract and apologise for his pro-Israeli and anti-Palestine comments.
We will oppose the upcoming appeal that the Chief Justice intends to lodge, as we maintain that we have a rock solid case. No one should or is above the law!
As previously indicated, #Africa4Palestine has formally written to the Chief Justice requesting a meeting . To date the Chief Justice has neither acknowledged nor responded to this request of engagement, however, our offer to meet and dialogue remains open (click here)
ISSUED BY TISETSO MAGAMA ON BEHALF OF AFRICA4PALESTINE
Spokesperson, Tisetso Magama: +27 (0) 61 4146348
Director, Muhammed Desai: +27 (0) 84 211 9988
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