Whitney Mabiya.
Julius Malema, the head of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has stated that he will not take back his recent remarks criticising an East London magistrate, whom he charged with being unethical and impotent.
“We will come back here and to sit and listen to that incompetent magistrate who comes late to court, who can’t get her papers in order, who can’t read her own judgments,” says Malema.
The judicial watchdog Judges Matter made the request for Malema to retract and apologise for the remarks, which it deemed to be “damaging to the judiciary.”
Retraction calls have been made for the most recent remarks made by Malema, against a judge overseeing his prosecution for allegedly firing a gun in public. Malema however stands firm in the proclamation that he will not apologise to the judiciary watchdog.
“There is nothing wrong with what I said about her, nothing wrong at all and I will not apologise. They tried me earlier with some concocted charge there in Parliament that I said things about judges. I will never stop talking about judges because we must never make judges God, they too are individuals,” Malema added.
The Ministry of Justice responded to Malema’s statements by denouncing the attack and emphasising that it is inappropriate to target judicial professionals with dramatic conspiracy theories.
In line with previous remarks, Judges Matter added that slander of judicial officers ought to be grounded in fact and proportionate. The organisation claims to be exploring additional choices, such as bringing an ethical complaint before Parliament.
“There are also legal provisions which provide for contempt of court in cases where someone or a litigant scandalizes the court through their conduct, comments or actions,” says Mbekezeli Benjamin, Judges Matter: Researcher.
Furthermore, the Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has been urged to intervene instantaneously by the Judicial Officers Association of South Africa in response to what it describes as “unprecedented public attacks on the judiciary.”
