Mogoeng views late-coming seriously
Judge slated for unpalatable jokes
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng failed to find the humour when the Eastern Cape deputy judge president tried to lightheartedly brush off allegations that judges in some courts arrived at work at 11am.
Deputy Judge President Zamani Nhlangulela was being interviewed for the judge president position.
“I don’t have that experience of judges arriving in court at 11‚” Nhlangulela told the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) conducting the interviews.
“I only have two eyes. If only I had 10 eyes‚ I would know so now I am relying on being told‚” said Nhlangulela‚ adding that he hadn’t been informed of such a problem.
He said he was doing his best to resolve all issues in the courts and was happy with his progress. “Personally I am happy. Even if you don’t give me credit‚ I am happy. I can sleep at night with my family‚” he said.
Mogoeng replied: “I have a problem in the manner in which you make light of serious things and these are serious things that affect the judiciary… You are there making jokes of things which discredit the judiciary.”
Nhlangulela then toned down his responses and apologised. He has been deputy president of the Eastern Cape High Court since 2016. He had acted in the position since 2015.
Earlier‚ Mogoeng called on him to brag about what he had achieved since he took on the position.
Nhlangulela said he had managed to unite the judges and improve turnaround time in the delivery of judgments.
But when prodded to give numbers‚ he did not have them.
Mogoeng was surprised‚ saying he himself was abreast of such issues in the Constitutional Court which he was in charge of it. “It is my job to know. I live it‚” Mogoeng said.
Nhlangulela is one of four candidates vying for the post.