Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng says his judicial responsibilities cannot be separated from his Christian beliefs. He was reacting to the backlash he received regarding his controversial prayer on his concerns on COVID-19 vaccines.
Social media is abuzz after a video emerged in which Mogoeng delivers a prayer on the caution that must be used when choosing a vaccine to combat the coronavirus.
Responding to questions during a media briefing on the 2019/20 Judiciary Annual report at his offices in Midrand North of Johannesburg, Mogoeng said even the country’s Constitution asked for God to protect the nation.
“Where do you get this thing of separating my judicial responsibilities from my Christian beliefs, where can we look for in the Constitution or anywhere else? Last time I checked in the constitution it, amongst the fundamental rights, so where do you get this thing from?”
The country’s top judge was delivering the prayer at an event at the Tembisa Hospital, east of Johannesburg, that honoured those who died from COVID19-related complications on Thursday.
South Africa is in the second wave of infections and has registered the most infections and COVID19-related deaths on the continent.
Government is studying the data of numerous candidates before purchasing a vaccine.
Mogoeng called on higher powers to intervene in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I lockout every demon of COVID-19, I lock out any vaccine that is not of you if there be any vaccine that is of the devil meant to infuse 666 in the lives of people, meant to corrupt your DNA. Any such vaccine, Lord God Almighty, may it be destroyed by fire.”
The video below is Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng’s keynote address at Tembisa Hospital’s thanksgiving function:
People on Twitter shared their views on Mogoeng’s prayer, with some saying he must stick to his job as the Chief Justice:
Mogoeng also added that it is an embarrassment that corruption by government officials has been rife during the coronavirus pandemic.
He says now is the time for South Africans to find solutions to numerous allegations of corruption in government.