Yengeni’s criticism of Justice Zondo flawed

TONY Yengeni has rightly exercised his right to criticise by taking Chief Justice Zondo to task by laying a complaint at the JSC for his comments that Cyril Ramaphosa saved the country by rescuing the Treasury. He argues that Zondo is involving himself in ANC factional political battles.

But this criticism is flawed for various reasons. For one, Yengeni argues Zondo cannot say anything positive about Ramaphosa’s rule because, among others, crime and unemployment have escalated, power outages are a way of life etc.

But what do these have to do with Zondo’s observations, which were strictly limited to the issue of the Treasury and not Ramaphosa’s overall performance? This is a classic case of a critic who misrepresents fact, so that they fit their own views.

Yengeni also alleges some Cabinet members are corrupt. But how many times must this issue be discussed that Zondo has called since 2018, up until the commission wound up its work, that those who had evidence to approach the commission? Yengeni and his ilk have never taken up this challenge, and yet they throw out these serious accusations as fact.

But the most ominous of Yengeni’s critique is that he argues Zondo has been unfairly appointed as Chief Justice by Ramaphosa, and he is paying the latter back. But this is a very dangerous assertion because it is not supported by facts but is sheer speculation. Yengeni is thus tainting the office of the Chief Justice, that he is a lackey of politicians when he offers no tangible evidence to support his accusation. DR THABISI HOEANE | Pretoria