Former Constitutional Court Judge Zak Yacoob today allegedly begged ANC veteran Mathews Phosa “to kill” the case he opened against him after he allegedly insulted the politician for writing a “s*** opinion” about the step-aside rule.
Phosa’s opinion is against the suspension of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, who was eventually suspended last week and took the matter to the high court to challenge it.
Phosa today told The Sunday Independent he was forced to open a case with the Hawks against Yacoob after the judge phoned him out of the blue and verbally insulted him.
“This man phoned me out of the blue and insulted me and told me to go and f*ck myself for writing what he called a s*** opinion for the ANC.
“He got so angry when I told him, politely, that I can’t discuss ANC matters outside the proper structures of the organisation.” Phosa said.
Phosa provided police with the screen grab of Yacoob’s call to him and said “now I am waiting for the police to arrest him”.
“I don’t know why Judge Yacoob is trying to involve himself with the internal ANC matters or going around insulting people for that matter. Imagine a judge telling you to go and f*** yourself without any provocation.”
Phosa said this afternoon he got a phone call from one of his associates who told him that Yacoob was begging him “to kill this thing”.
“Imagine a judge telling you to kill this thing, this is an insult to the judiciary,” Phosa explained.
The former ANC treasurer said he isn’t backing down and he wants to see Yacoob behind bars.
“I am patiently waiting for police to arrest him, this man has been getting away with murder for far too long,” he added.
Two senior counsels, who asked not to be named, told the Sunday Independent that Yacoob is used to insulting people because “he has political protection.”
“Yacoob has always used his close proximity to minister Pravin Gordhan to intimidate people and insult some of them. He thinks he is untouchable because he has political protection,” one senior counsel has alleged.
The other one said Yacoob was a disgrace to the judiciary.
“This man has done everything morally wrong without any shame. Remember this is the same judge who made a legal opinion about the Sars main relevant. He is a disgrace to the judiciary.”
Yacoob was forced to resign from Cricket SA (CSA) in January this year after he allegedly insulted acting (CSA) CEO Kugandrie Govender and later told journalist Tiisetso Malepa he was “idiotic”, “irresponsible” and “dishonest”.
Govender alleges she was verbally harassed by Yacoob while he was interim board chairperson.
Malepa’s crime was to phone Yacoob and ask him about Govender’s accusations.
In a recorded interview with Malepa, Yacoob said to the journalist: “You are a dishonest, irresponsible idiot. You are a rogue and dirty journalist. I prefer not to answer your questions and to air my views when the inquiry comes up.”
Yacoob also previously insulted another journalist, Piet Rampedi, when he questioned him about changing his SARS rogue unit report.
“Yacoob is an arrogant and egotistical old man who has no respect for other people. He verbally abuses critics and believes he is above the law.
“In 2016, I called him for comment on allegations that he had contacted Adv Sikhakhane and tried to convince him to change the recommendations of the Sikhakhane report into the rogue unit, for the benefit of Pravin Gordhan and other implicated parties, which amounted to judicial misconduct.
“Instead of answering the questions, he chose to verbally abuse and call me names. He went into a tirade, repeatedly yelled at me, and called me an idiot for asking him such questions. He came across as a racist. The question is, why is he being allowed to get away with murder?" Rampedi said.
Yacoob was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Pretoria in December 2019 “in recognition of his extensive contribution to the law, his exemplary life of service to human rights, his continuous moral leadership and the stature he has attained in society.”
Yacoob couldn’t be reached for comment as he didn’t answer his phone on numerous occasions.
The Sunday Independent