Johannesburg – The Judicial Conduct Appeals Committee made findings that former chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng breached the judicial code of conduct through his controversial utterances over Israel and Palestine in 2020.
Last year, Mogoeng was ordered by the committee, chaired by to apologise for comments he made about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during a hosted webinar by the Jerusalem Post.
However, the former chief justice opted to stick to his guns on his comments and refused to apologise.
He was embroiled in controversy, when he was slated by pro-Palestine campaigners, and the ANC for expressing his love for Israel and criticising the ruling party on its approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
In a released statement on Thursday the commission found that, as per the findings by Judge Phineas Mojapelo, Mogoeng has undermined the work of the judicial committee, and by also breaching Article 14(2) of judicial code of conduct.
“Mogoeng was involved in extra-judicial activities which are incompatible with the confidence in and the impartiality of judges,” the committee said in a statement.
MEDIA STATEMENT: JUDICIAL CONDUCT COMMITTEE
The Judicial Conduct Appeals Committee’s has published its decision on the appeal by former Chief Justice Mogoeng on complaints by Africa4Palestine, SABDS Coalition and Women’s Cultural Group. pic.twitter.com/QzzyexUNpb
— RSAJudiciary (@OCJ_RSA) January 20, 2022
The committee further ruled that Mogoeng must apologise for comments made in a seminar hosted.
“A copy of the apology must be made by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to the Office of Chief Justice and the media within 10 days of this decision,” ordered the committee.
The committee furthermore addressed that, Judge Victor, who is a third member of the committee penned a minority decision, in which she would have upheld the appeal in its entirely, setting aside findings of Mojapelo and the remedial action.
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