SA's former CJ apologises for pro-Israel comments

Former Chief Justice Mogoeng last week apologised for pro-Israel comments he made last year, reports EWN. ‘I, Mogoeng Mogoeng, the former CJ of the RSA, hereby apologise unconditionally for becoming involved in political controversy through my utterances at the online seminar (webinar) hosted by the Jerusalem Post on 23 June 2020, in which I participated,’ he said in a statement. However, Mogoeng made it clear that he was apologising because he was forced to by the law. He said the Judicial Conduct Committee’s orders are lawful and binding. ‘And the rule of law is one of the foundational values of our democratic state. It demands of all, including the CJ, to comply with all lawful orders however much we might disagree with them. ‘Individually and together with my judicial colleagues, I have over the years made orders and expected all, including Presidents, to comply with them and they did. I am now forced by the law – the order of the lawfully constituted Appeal Panel of the Judicial Conduct Committee to apologise unconditionally in terms of the prescribed apology. And because I am not above the law, I hereby apologise as ordered,’ he said.

During a Jerusalem Post webinar alongside the South African Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, he said South Africans and Africans at large had not cut diplomatic ties with colonisers yet they criticised Israel. Complaints were laid by Africa 4 Palestine, the SA BDS Coalition and the Women's Cultural Group. The Judicial Conduct Committee had been tasked with probing the complaints against Mogoeng and whether he contravened the code of judicial conduct. He was found guilty and was instructed to issue an unconditional apology. He then appealed, reports EWN. But the Judicial Conduct Appeals Committee last month upheld the original instruction to apologise. The committee, by a majority, directed that a copy of the apology be released by Mogoeng to the Office of the Chief Justice and the media within 10 days of the decision.

In the preamble to the apology, Mogoeng said he was pleased that he did not have to apologise for his Christian views, says a Business Day report. ‘Just before the dawn of day number 666 of the lockdown in our land, I was informed of the outcome of my appeal against the five findings made against me and the sanction imposed on me,’ he said. ‘I am very thankful that I have not been ordered to renounce God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit and my faith in Him; I have not been ordered to renounce the Holy Bible; I have not been ordered to renounce prayer; and I have not been ordered to renounce my love for Israel and Palestine and my love for the Jews and the Palestinians, as well as my love for all people,’ Mogoeng said. He also denied that he said he would not apologise in any circumstance. He says he told the committee he would not apologise unless he was legally obliged to.