Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng says there seems to be an orchestrated attempt to side line the work of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture by turning the focus into the cost of the inquiry.
Justice Mogoeng was speaking in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, at the release of the report on the state of the judiciary.
It was revealed that over R350 million has been spent since the commission was established.
Justice Minister Ronald Lamola revealed this in a reply to a question in Parliament.
Justice Mogoeng has rejected criticism of the cost.
“There appears to be a well-orchestrated plan to undermine the operations of the Zondo Commission because too much is coming out. We said we are against corruption and if we truly are against corruption let us allow this commission to uproot corruption. Let us support what the commission is doing. There is a commission that took four years investigating who was complaining? Why are we singling out this commission?”
Mogoeng says he has rejected a donation of R600 million to modernise the courts. He says they are looking at making courts more efficient by migrating to e-filling.
Mogoeng, however, says funding is a challenge and there have been attempts to capture the judiciary through funding.
“To modernise courts, and that, of course, depends on funding. I may have mentioned it to some, that I was approached by somebody, offering R600 million so that we can modernise, but I know that person, I know that institution, I rejected it, with the necessary contempt because that’s how capture happens. You don’t want to be funded in the middle of the night, however people may posture as benevolent givers of assistance.”
