ANC STATEMENT ON SENTIMENTS ATTRIBUTED TO CHIEF JUSTICE MOGOENG MOGOENG SUPPORTING "APARTHEID" ISRAEL
The ANC joins fellow South Africans in expressing concern about sentiments attributed to Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng expressing his apparent support for Apartheid Israel.
We are deeply concerned with the remarks by the Chief Justice during an interview with the Jerusalem Times.
The esteemed Chief Justice entered the arena of political commentary which may make him vulnerable should he have to adjudicate a human rights matter in the future.
He also openly supported the actions of the State of Israel, actions condemned by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on numerous occasions and contemptuous behaviour towards the human rights of the people of Palestine.
It was rather unfortunate for the Chief Justice to state that: "South African government policy was binding upon himself and that he was not seeking to reject it" but then clearly and openly opposing it "as a citizen". The ANC has respect for the independence of the judiciary.