Labour federation Cosatu and opposition parties have reacted with dismay to the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) decision to endorse President Jacob Zuma’s choice of Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to become the next chief justice.
Spokesman Patrick Craven said Cosatu was “disappointed” as its submission to the JSC was highly critical of Justice Mogoeng, particularly about his controversial judgments in cases of rape and domestic violence.
“Based on his remarks, it is evident that (Mogoeng) reflects an insensitive, patriarchal and backward mindset that is chauvinist. His appointment would be a slap in the face of millions of black women, who have championed the rights of women, and would constitute a reversal of the struggle for total women emancipation”, its submission had warned.
Craven said last that Cosatu would continue to raise gender violence.
“We don’t think the JSC got to the bottom of those issues, in particular the right of women to be protected from violence”.
The DA would submit its submission on Justice Mogoeng’s suitability for the position to the Presidency on Monday and was to make it public at noon, party leader Helen Zille’s spokeswoman Priya Reddy said.
Zille asked Zuma last Monday for a meeting on Monday to discuss his nomination of Mogoeng.
Reddy said on Sunday that Zille had received no response from the Presidency.
But Presidency spokeswoman Zanele Mngadi confirmed Zille’s request had been received, and said that “an acknowledgement was sent immediately”.
ID leader Patricia de Lille also expressed disappointment.
“It is very sad when a head of state cannot give the nation the best (candidate) there is,” she said on Sunday night.
She claimed that Zuma had – “for personal reasons and for a second time” – overlooked a “far better candidate” in Moseneke.
“He (Zuma) certainly can find no fault with Justice Moseneke’s experience, qualifications, struggle credentials – he was the youngest prisoner to go to Robben Island – or his character… The only reason (for overlooking Moseneke) is personal,” De Lille said.
The fact that the JSC had had to resort to a vote “shows that there is no consensus and that there is a lack of trust in the candidate”, De Lille added.
Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said he stood by his earlier comments that “there were individuals on the Bench who were better” than this candidate.
“It is disappointing. I don’t see what the purpose of the interview process is if there was never an intention to interview other candidates.”
FF Plus leader Pieter Mulder also complained about the lack of consultation – and that no other candidates were considered.
”Several candidates would have enabled us to give solid advice.
“One should always be weighing people up against each other – and then make a decision but this process has not been done that way.”
Mulder said he was still waiting for a response to a letter he wrote to Zuma in which he had posed the question about multiple candidates.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu did not respond to messages left on his phone on Sunday night. - Political Bureau