Minister in the Presidency, Mondli Gungubele, has defended President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to appoint Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo as the country’s next Chief Justice.
Ramaphosa announced the appointment of Justice Zondo last week.
He acted against the recommendation of the Judicial Services Commission that had recommended Supreme Court of Appeal President Mandisa Maya.
In the video below is on Raymond Zondo being appointed as Chief Justice:
Although the majority of political parties have welcomed the appointment of Zondo, there are those who opposed the appointment.
Gungubele was responding to the questions by journalists on the sidelines of the presidential Imbizo held in Mahkeng in the North West.
“The President after the State of the Nation Address and the debate, in his response, he put this point clear when he was asked, what was his intention when he allowed the JSC to conduct interviews. He says I did ask them to give me a judge, I asked them to assess the appointment.”
“What is clear is that all the four judges were appointable and the President used his discretion to appoint and the man upon whom the power is invested has taken that decision.”
While most parties welcomed the announcement of the Deputy Chief Justice, it was rejected by the EFF. The party said the appointment is short-sighted and factional.
EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys said under Zondo the Constitutional Court will now be used to fight political opponents.
