Black Lawyers Association ‘concerned’ about recent accusations levelled at judges

The Black Lawyers Association (BLA) has said it was concerned about the recent damning claims and accusations that some members of the judiciary are corrupt or are beneficiaries of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign funds.

BLA president Lutendo Sigogo said on Friday that people shouldn’t rush to accuse the judiciary of corruption, adding that a discredited judiciary could not fulfil its constitutional mandate.

“The judiciary is the third arm of the state. It plays a very important role in ensuring that the legislature and the executive comply with the Constitution and the rule of law,” he said.

“It is also responsible for the administration of justice amongst individual members of society. It can only properly discharge its judicial responsibilities if all concerns have faith in it.”

Sigogo urged those with valid complaints against any member of the judiciary to lay complaints with the Judicial Service Commission.

He added that social media and other media platforms were not the appropriate platforms to complain, adding that it achieved nothing except discrediting the judiciary.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng is expected to brief the media on Friday afternoon on allegations levelled against the judiciary.

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