ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe and his followers picket at Constitutional Court in Johannesburg, 22 March 202, in support of the Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng and to pray for peace in the Middle East. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Leader of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) Kenneth Meshoe and party members are picketing at the Constitutional Court in support of Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
During a webinar last year hosted by The Jerusalem Post, Mogoeng said that he was praying for Israel and pledged his love for the country.
He has been highly criticised for his remarks.
ALSO READ: Africa4Palestine to oppose Mogoeng’s appeal on Israel comments
Human rights organisation Africa4Palestine filed a complaint to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) against the Chief Justice for his Israeli utterances.
“Judge Mogoeng has, unfortunately, continued to publicly speak on the matter but refuses to apologise. He has said: Even if 50 million people can march every day for the next 10 years, for me to retract and apologise for what I said — I will not do it…There will, therefore, be no retraction. There is nothing to retract. There will be no apology … I will not apologise for anything. There is nothing to apologise for. There is nothing to retract…I will not.’
ALSO READ: Mogoeng to appeal ruling ‘forcing’ him apologise for pro-Israel remarks
“Mogoeng has also started, bizarrely, to accuse people of ‘lies’, of plotting ‘to destroy’ him, ‘insulting’ him and wanting to ‘kill’ him.
“We deny any of the Chief Justice’s accusations and insist, as our submission makes clear, that he is in violation of the JSC code of conduct. In addition, he conflates the Biblical Land of Israel with the Modern State of Israel created in 1948.
“And, finally, he disregards Israel’s well documented violations of international law,” said the organisation at the time.
Consequently, Mogoeng was directed by the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) to retract and apologise for his remarks on Israel.
In response, Mogoeng lodged an appeal
During its picket on Monday, the ACDP said “the church was under attack”. It called for a stop to attacks on Mogoeng.
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