Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng is under fire for the statement he made during a webinar which was hosted on the 23rd of June 2020 by The Jerusalem Post.
When asked to apologise, Mogoeng said “even if 50 million people were to march every day for 10 years for me to do so, I would not apologise”. If I perish, I perish,” he said.”
The Judicial Conduct Committee said Mogoeng’s apology should read as follows.
“I, Mogoeng Mogoeng, Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa, hereby apologise unconditionally for becoming involved in political controversy through my utterances in the online seminar (webinar) hosted by The Jerusalem Post on 23 June 2020, in which I participated.
“I further hereby unreservedly retract and withdraw the following statement which I uttered subsequent thereto or other words to the same effect: “I stand by my refusal to retract or apologise for any part of what I said during the webinar. Even if 50 million people were to march every day for 10 years for me to do so, I would not apologise. If I perish, I perish.
“I reaffirm my recognition for the statutory authority of the Judicial Conduct Committee of the Judicial Service Commission established in terms of Part 11 of the JSC Act 9 of 1994 to decide on any complaint of alleged judicial misconduct against me and all judges in the Republic of South Africa.”
The Sunday Times wrote last year that, Mogoeng used Biblical reasons to justify his pro-Israel comments.
He said, “The first verse I give is in Psalms 122, verse 6, which says: ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love thee,’” He added . “Also Genesis 12, verses 1 to 3, says to me as a Christian, if I curse Abraham and Israel, the Almighty God will curse me too.
He furthermore said, “And I cannot as a Christian do anything other than love and pray for Israel because I know hatred for Israel by me and for my nation will, can only attract unprecedented curses upon our nation.”
Do you think Mogoeng should apologize for the statements made?
