WATCH: Zondo says ‘not many’ corruption complaints against the judiciary (VIDEO)

Chief Justice Raymond Zondo said member of the Judiciary have endured unwarranted attacks from people who sought to delegitimise its work.

Zondo was speaking to eNCA‘s JJ Tabane on Monday in an interview reflecting on his tenure at the helm of the apex court and South Africa’s 30 years of democracy.

Watch Chief Justice Raymond Zondo speaking about attacks on the judiciary

[ON AIR] Chief Justice Raymond Zondo speaks on the independence of the judiciary and its role in democracy on #PowerToTruth #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/XBmGRTfJw0

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Attacks

The chief justice said there have been attacks on the judiciary.

“Some of those people, when they win court cases, suddenly, the judiciary is not that bad. There are people who don’t want the judiciary to be seen as credible and legitimate. They make it their job to attack the judiciary. We have tended to focus on our work, and occasionally come out to respond when we need to.”

Zondo also said he has not received many complaints or corruption allegations against the members of the judiciary.

Zondo’s term as chief justice comes to an end on 31 August.

ALSO READ: Niehaus claims judiciary is captured not based on reality says legal expert

Zuma attacks judiciary

In 2021, Zuma criticised the South African judiciary, stating that some judges had “sold their souls and forsaken their oaths of office in an attempt to vilify him”.

Zuma had been in the spotlight after defying an order by the Constitutional Court of South Africa to appear before the Zondo Commission, which investigated allegations of state capture in South Africa.

He singled out the names of two judges in his statement: deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo and Gauteng judge president Dunstan Mlambo.

Zuma stated that he was not defying the law but a few “lawless judges”.

“We sit with some judges who have assisted the incumbent president to hide from society what on the face of it seem to be bribes obtained in order to win an internal ANC election.”

Zuma’s statement was followed by similar claims by expelled African National Congress (ANC) member Carl Niehaus who said the “judiciary was captured.”

Niehaus made the claims following the South Gauteng High Court’s decision to grant President Cyril Ramaphosa an urgent interim interdict against private prosecution by Zuma.

ALSO READ: SA has desperate shortage of judges and it’s creating serious backlogs