Khampempe hands over acting chief justice reins to Zondo

Deputy Chief Justice of the Judiciary Raymond Zondo has taken over the role of acting chief justice, while Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng is still enjoying time off on leave.

“As the chief justice is still on long leave as made known on 6 May 2021 and by application of the relevant legislation, namely Section 4 (2) (b) of the Superior Courts Act, 2013, the deputy chief justice will exercise the powers or perform the functions of the chief justice as the acting chief justice,” judiciary spokesperson Nathi Mncube said in a statement.

The Office of the Chief Justice announced on Friday that the appointment of Justice Sisi Khampepe as acting  Chief Justice came to an end on 30 June 2021.

Khampepe will be remembered for her landmark ruling sentencing former president Jacob Zuma to 15 months in jail for contempt of court.

Mncube said Zondo would be able to fulfil his duties as chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture and those of the chief justice.

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“The work of the state capture inquiry, which Zondo chairs, has now, despite an extension, reached a stage that puts the deputy chief justice in a position to fulfil his responsibilities as acting chief justice while attending to the finalisation of the commission’s work,” Mncube said.

Mogoeng is on leave after he could not take leave in previous years, according to the judiciary.

“Judges leave is not cumulative and therefore had the chief justice not taken his leave it would have been forfeited as has happened on previous occasions,” the judiciary said in May.

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