Mogoeng defends the bench

2012-10-28 14:26

Judge Mogoeng Mogoeng

Johannesburg - Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng has launched a stinging attack on his critics and defended judicial independence, the City Press reported on Sunday.

Judicial independence would be limping if it meant only independence from the ANC, Mogoeng said at a retirement function for Gauteng Judge President Bernard Ngoepe on Friday.

"If for fear of being labelled pro-executive or conservative you feel intimidated into toeing a particular line so that you can earn the categorisation of progressiveness... then you are not independent," he was quoted as saying.

Judges should not be fearful of "vocal and well-resourced opposition party leaders" and "misinformation campaigns" in the media.

Critics of the judiciary should be very careful, he said.

- SAPA