ANC wants Mahlobo to consider legal action for break-in tweets

In the wake of a break-in at the offices of Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng in Midrand in Johannesburg, opposition party leaders were quick to take to social media to voice their suspicions for who was behind it.

Both EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu and DA MP John Steenhuisen said they suspected State Security Minister David Mahlobo of having a hand in the break-in – which led to 15 computers containing the personal information of 150 judges and numerous information about legal cases – being stolen.

Shivambu alleged that: “My rational suspicion is that the State Security Agency (Mahlobo) is the one who broke into Chief Justice’s office and stole computers.”

My rational suspicion is that the State Security Agency (Mahlobo) is the one who broke into Chief Justice's office and stole computers.

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) March 18, 2017

Steenhuisen agreed, saying it was the intimidation of the judiciary by the SSA.

My money's on Mahlobo and the kak-handed SSA. Signal jammer, imaginary social media villains and inept break ins. Intimidation of judiciary https://t.co/z7mncm5Xky

— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) March 18, 2017

When the ANC released a statement challenging him to prove his suspicions, he tweeted that “nerves must have been touched”. He asked if the ANC had a guilty conscience.

The ANC has reportedly said they have advised Mahlobo to consider taking legal action.

Looks like some nerves were touched. The reaction is rather instructive. Guilty conscience??👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/bMInkcfwEW

— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) March 18, 2017

His party said in an official statement on Sunday that the break-in had been an attack on the judiciary and must be condemned in the strongest terms by all South Africans, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.

“The DA is shocked and angered at the news that the office of the chief justice has been robbed and that 15 computers containing confidential information on South Africa’s judges and officials from the chief justice’s office were seemingly targeted in the robbery,” DA spokeswoman Glynnis Breytenbach said.

“This is an attack on our judiciary which we must all condemn in the strongest terms. The DA will be submitting parliamentary questions as to why there wasn’t adequate security at the office of the chief justice which allowed for the break-in to occur. Like the robbery at the Helen Suzman Foundation, almost a year ago exactly, the DA views this as an act of intimidation,” Breytenbach said.

It was highly suspicious that the break-in occurred the day after the Constitutional Court handed down a damning judgment highly critical of Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and the social grants crisis she had “manufactured”.

The DA welcomed that a special team of detectives had been assigned to investigate and urged them to find those responsible for this brazen attack as soon as humanly possible. Attacks on the judiciary could not be allowed to stand and had to be dealt with with the urgency and seriousness they deserved, Breytenbach said.

On Saturday, Mogoeng’s office confirmed the break-in.

“During the commission of this criminal offence 15 computers were stolen in the office where the human resources and facilities units are located,” spokesman Nathi Mncube said.

“The stolen computers contain important information about judges and officials of the OCJ and constitute a huge setback for the entire administration of justice.”

The break-in was reported to the SA Police Service (SAPS) and various SAPS units were dispatched to the OCJ to conduct further investigations.

“Upon being informed of this crime the chief justice remarked that this must be viewed in a very serious light and the police ought to do everything in their power to ensure that the culprits are brought to book,” Mncube said.

– Additional reporting by ANA