APA-Pretoria (South Africa) A South African judiciary watchdog group has come to the defence of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo who has recently come under fire for allegedly breach the judicial code of conduct after he delivered a public lecture at a local university.
Critics said the chief justice drew himself into political controversy by talking about issues that compromised his standing as an unbiased member of the judiciary.
During the OR Tambo Public Lecture at Fort Hare University, Zondo took a swipe at the South African government for failing to fight corruption, which he said has brought the country to its knees.
He noted that by allowing what he called the Gupta-Zuma state capture to happen, the African National Congress-led government had betrayed late party president Oliver Tambo.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, judicial advocacy group Judges Matter said Zondo did not violate the code of conduct, which does not bar judges from getting involved in public lectures.
Judges Matter senior researcher Mbekezeli Benjamin said Zondo reflected on his time as the chairperson of the state capture commission.
“This is an important context to remember, as the chief justice was speaking primarily on issues that were reported on at the commission or were included in the final report,” Benjamin said.
He added: “Therefore, he could not have been said to have willingly or inadvertently drawn himself into political controversy because he was reflecting on an important responsibility as the chairperson of the State Capture Commission of Inquiry, but also reflecting on aspects of the administration of justice and the law.”
Between 2018 and 2022, the chief justice chaired a commission of inquiry into corruption involving the capture of state institutions by a cartel of corrupt businesspersons and politicians led by controversial Indian-born Gupta brothers during the decade-long reign of former South African president Jacob Zuma.
NM/jn/APA