Dunstan Mlambo, the judge president of the Gauteng division of the high court, says the “brazen” filming of a judge and his car by an unknown man last week is worrying and is the work of corrupt individuals who rely on contract killers to shield their malfeasance.
Mlambo reported last week that an unidentified man was waiting for a specific judge at the judges’ car entrance at the high court.
He said that as the judge drove in, the man started filming him and his vehicle. Moments later, the man stopped filming and walked away.
BBC’s annual summit
Mlambo did not mention the name of the judge or the type of criminal case he is presiding over; suffice to say it involves multiple accused persons.
He did not mention whether the incident happened at the Johannesburg High Court or the high court in Pretoria.
Mlambo was speaking at the Black Business Council’s (BBC) annual summit on Monday on the theme of political economy: “30 years into democracy — where is South Africa headed in the next 30 years”?
The annual summit, which ends on Tuesday, is taking place at the Radisson OR Tambo Hotel & Convention Centre in Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg.
He was speaking about how the cancer of malfeasance has become a threat to South Africa’s democracy and a barrier to the provision of proper basic public services.
Those involved in corruption in the public and private sectors, according to Mlambo, have no hesitance in hiring hitmen against whistleblowers who want to expose their malfeasance.
Contract-killing tendencies
He said: “There has been a growth of parasitical tendencies, such as contract-killing tendencies.
“Those involved in corruption have no compulsion to source hitmen against those likely to blow the whistle on their activities.
“You would have heard the analysis recently by the Minister of Police [Bheki Cele] when he mentioned that there are cases in the courts involving hired hitmen from KZN [KwaZulu-Natal].
“This is not a laughing matter, and if left unchecked, it could emasculate the entire criminal justice system. I am worried.
“Last week, an unknown man brazenly stood at the entrance of the judges’ cars and waited for a particular judge.
“When that judge came in, he started filming him and his car. Brazenly! As the judge drove in, he [an unknown man] stopped and walked away.
“The judge happens to be at a critical stage of a criminal case involving multiple accused persons. Was this intimidation? What business does anyone have in filming a judge and his vehicle in full public view?
“It is an opportunistic consequence that we are seeing of people who are trying to shield their malfeasance by relying on contract killers.”
