Africa-Press – South-Africa. Former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has been asked to issue a public apology within 10 days after the Judicial Appeals Conduct Committee found against him, on his remarks on Israel.
Mogoeng caused controversy two years ago when he made pro-Israel comments during a webinar hosted by the Jerusalem Post.
He had refused to back down when political parties and others asked him.
Pro-Palestinian groups had lodged a complaint against Mogoeng after he made the remarks and asked the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to investigate him.
The Judicial Conduct Committee said on Thursday after Mogoeng’s appeal the appeals committee had found against him.
Mogoeng had appealed the earlier decision by Judge Phineas Mojapelo to apologise for his pro-Israel comments in 2020.
The Judicial Appeals Conduct Committee said it agreed that Mogoeng had breached the Judicial Code of Conduct over his remarks.
“Pursuant to this decision, the committee, by a majority, directed that Chief Justice Mogoeng should issue an unconditional apology for becoming involved in political controversy through his utterances at the online seminar (webinar) hosted by the Jerusalem Post on June 23, 2020. A copy of the apology must be released by Chief Justice Mogoeng to the Office of the Chief Justice and the media within 10 days of the decision,” said the judicial conduct committee.
Mogoeng retired late last year after he went on a long leave before the end of his term.
The JSC will next month conduct interviews for the new chief justice with five senior judges in the running for the top job in the judiciary.
POLITICAL BUREAU
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