Faizel Patel – 15/03/2021
Human rights organization Africa4Palestine says it is disappointed by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng’s decision not to comply with the ruling of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC).
The JSC gave Mogoeng ten days to apologise for his pro-Israel comments made last year in June.
Mogoeng came under severe criticism following his remarks during a webinar with The Jerusalem newspaper, where he lamented the South African government’s policy regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict and said that it would have greater influence if it displayed a more balanced approach.
The JSC says Mogoeng intends appealing the decision for him to apologise for his remarks, adding that it will determine the date for the hearing.
Speaking to Radio Islam, Africa4Palestine’s Mohammad Desai says they are confident the appeals process will result in the same conclusion that Mogoeng will have to retract and apologise for his pro-Israeli and anti-Palestine comments.
“Africa4Palestine will opposing the upcoming appeal that the Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng intends to lodge. We maintain that we have a rock solid case and we insist that no one should be or is above the law! It is regrettable that the chief justice has taken this path, we have reached out to him and to his office and initiated a request to meet. However he has turned this down, we do feel that a dialogue with him would be useful.”
Earlier this month, respected academic and activist, University of Johannesburg Professor Salim Vally told Radio Islam Mogoeng was not merely speaking innocently when he made the remarks, adding that the very timing of the interview, the nature of the newspaper and the issues that were discussed was calculated.
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