The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has warned the public about an imposter impersonating Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya.
The OCJ said in a media statement that the imposter has been sending text messages to officials in the OCJ in an attempt to obtain the contact details of judges.
“It has come to the attention of the Office of the Chief Justice that there is an individual impersonating the Deputy Chief Justice, MML Maya,” the OCJ said in a statement.
“According to the information available to the OCJ, the individual sent a WhatsApp message to an OCJ official requesting the contact numbers of judges.
“The mobile number from which the message came is 072 324 9318 and is registered on the WhatsApp application as belonging to ‘Chief Justice MM Maya’.
“The public is warned not to fall prey to this impersonator and needs to be aware that impersonating a judicial officer is a criminal offence.”
Matter reported to the police
The OCJ added that the matter has been reported to the police.
“Members of the public and media are requested to contact the OCJ to verify the authenticity of any communication, directive, article, or social media post that purports to be that of a judge.”
In February, President Cyril Ramaphosa nominated Maya for the position of chief justice when Raymond Zondo vacates the office.
Meanwhile, in December, retired former Constitutional Court Judge Chris Jafta informed the OCJ that there was an individual impersonating him and contacting people using his name.
The OCJ said at the time that the motive behind the impersonation was not known.
The OCJ said in a statement at the time: “By the direction of retired Constitutional Court Justice Chris Jafta, the Office of the Chief Justice has been requested to issue this media statement.
“The justice [Jafta] brought to the attention of the OCJ that an individual impersonating the retired justice has contacted individuals using the name of the retired justice.
“The motives of the impersonator are not yet clear.”
Gwamanda warns the public
Similarly, in February, Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda warned the public against scammers who use fake e-mails to ask for financial assistance in his name.
“The executive mayor of Johannesburg, Kabelo Gwamanda, would like to alert the public to the existence of fraudulent e-mails falsely claiming to originate from his office,” Gwamanda said in a statement at the time.
“It has come to my attention that [the] scammers are attempting to exploit my identity by sending deceptive e-mails in order to perpetrate various scams.
“These fake e-mails may request personal information, financial assistance, or participation in fraudulent schemes, preying on the trust and goodwill of recipients.”
