"Don't Do That, Chief: South Africans Say Mogoeng Mogoeng Should Not Apologise for Pro Israel Comments

• Mogoeng Mogoeng, the former Chief Justice, has been found guilty of causing a political controversy
• This charge comes after civil society groups complained about the comments Mogoeng made on an Israeli webinar
• Social media users think Mogoeng should not issue an apology and should continue to stand by his words

CAPE TOWN - Former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Mogoeng Mogoeng has been given 10 days to issue a public apology for involving himself in political controversy.

This order comes after Mogoeng's appeal of the Judicial Conduct Committee's (JCC) findings was dismissed by the Judicial Conduct Appeals Committee.

The initial findings stated that Mogoeng's pro-Israel comments made on a webinar held by The Jerusalem Post, an Israeli publication, landed the former Chief Justice in hot water, according to News24. The webinar took place in 2019.

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Mogoeng initially stated that he would not apologise for the comments he made because he has the Freedom of expression and religion, which are both enshrined in the Constitution. The complaint against Mogoeng was launched by a number of civil society group groups, which include SABDS Coalition, Women’s Cultural Group and Africa4Palestine.

The majority judgement ruled that Mogoeng needed to submit his unconditional apology to the office of the Chief Justice and to all media houses in 10 days, according to TimesLIVE.

@RoyTthethinker said:

"What would have happened if his views were pro-Palestinians? Is he not free to express his religious belief?"

@thulaniskosana3 said:

"Don't, the presidency will issue a fake apology attributed to him."

@llutladi said:

"Knowing #Mogoeng I can tell you know he won't retract his statement. He always stands for something he believes."

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@Christo61683282 said:

"No no no, don't do that, chief."

@RonaScott4 said:

"Judge Mogoeng is a follower of Jesus Christ. He cannot hate Israel because Jesus was a Jew. In Genesis 12:3 God states that those "who curses you I will curse and those who bless you I will bless". Judge Mogoeng stands before God, not before man. This is greater than politics."

Old clip of retired Chief Justice Mogoeng crops up: "An attempt to capture the judiciary"

Briefly News previously reported that a heated debate has emerged in the last few days, more so on social media, over Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu's comments, which allegedly "attacked" the country's Constitution.

In the background of the upheaval is a video of the former Chief Justice of South Africa, Mogoeng Mogoeng, giving a pre-warning against an attempt to see the judiciary captured. The material is doing the rounds online as public reaction mounts over the minister's controversial opinion piece.

According to TimesLIVE, the 2019 clip was taken at the 17th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture hosted at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus. There, Mogoeng spoke against those trying to capture the judiciary. He spoke at length about the ramifications of a captured judicial system.

Source: Briefly News