Political parties are divided over the comments made by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng over Israel. A formal complaint against the Chief Justice has been lodged at the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) by Africa4Palestine.

During his participation in a webinar hosted by the Jerusalem Post last week, Mogoeng said – among other things – that as a Christian he believes that those who curse Israel would also be cursed.

This has been viewed as expressing his support for the Jewish state.

The ANC and EFF have cautioned the Chief Justice against making polarising comments, while the IFP and COPE have defended Mogoeng’s right to freedom of speech.

ANC concerned about Mogoeng’s comments on Israel-Palestine tensions: 

In the video below, IFP, COPE said Chief Justice is entitled to his views:

The IFP’s Mkhuleko Hlengwa says the ANC should not be biased.

“The South African government cannot be a trusted negotiator if it enters into this space with a bias view. Generally what the Chief Justice was saying is something which reminds us of the need and importance of the two-state solution as proposed in 1967. To have a knee-jerk reaction to the chief justice’s comments without taking in the fundamental issues he is raising in itself is a myopic and ignorant view on the part of those who seek to attack the chief justice.”

#Africa4Palestine to lay a complaint against Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng:

A formal complaint against Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has been lodged at the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) by Africa4Palestine.

Africa4Palestine’s Director, Muhammed Desai explains that judges are supposed to avoid political controversies.

“I can confirm that we have already lodged that complaint. The first is that judges are supposed to avoid entering into political controversies this is a very clear article of the code of conduct. But secondly, you’re quite correct there is currently a matter dealing with Israel and Palestine that is in front of the Constitutional Court and even more problematic the Chief Justice was a presiding judge during the hearing just a few weeks ago and so this is a problem we are articulating in our complaint to the Judicial Services Commission.”

In the video below, reaction to Chief Justice Mogoeng comments on Israel: 

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