Malema attacks Zondo

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has endorsed ANC leader Tony Yengeni’s complaint against Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Yengeni recently filed a complaint with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) against Zondo over some of the findings in the latest volume of the report on state capture.

The ANC national executive committee member argued that Zondo breached the Code of Judicial Conduct when he made findings which had political implications. This relates to Zondo’s comments on the ANC’s 2017 elective conference.

In the latest Commission of Inquiry into State Capture report, Zondo stated that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s election in the conference had essentially saved South Africa from further damage.

Yengeni has accused Zondo of venturing into the political arena. He also said Zondo’s findings “may have the effect of fanning factional fires” within the ANC and influence delegates’ political voting patterns at the party’s 55th national elective conference in December 2022.

Addressing the media yesterday, Malema slammed Zondo, likening him to a TV presenter.

“We are fully behind Tony Yengeni. We think Chief Justice Zondo is too forward and has no limit. He thinks that judges are untouchable, that’s why he has given himself a responsibility to even enter the political terrain,” he said.

“For some reason, I personally think Zondo wished to be a TV presenter… Remember, we used to have presenters who introduced programmes. I think [Zondo] thinks he was supposed to be like that because he never misses an opportunity to appear on TV.”

Malema said he believed Zondo was “a factionalist who is in support of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second term”.

“That’s why he saw it necessary for him to say Ramaphosa’s election in the ANC rescued us from where we were. He is effectively saying if you don’t vote for Ramaphosa in December, we are going to be in trouble.”

The EFF leader further called on the Judicial Conduct Committee to discipline the chief justice.