Mogoeng not amused by Eastern Cape judge’s jokes

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng failed to find the humour when Eastern Cape Deputy Judge President tried to light-heartedly brush off allegations that judges in some courts arrived at work at 11am.

Deputy Judge President Zamani Nhlangulela was being interviewed for the Judge President position.

“I don’t have that experience of judges arriving in court at 11‚” Nhlangulela told the Judicial Services Commission which is conducting the interviews.

“I only have two eyes. If only I had 10 eyes‚ I would know so now I am relying on being told‚” said Nhlangulela‚ adding that he hadn’t been informed of such a problem.

• ‘She’s too moody’ – what judges said at JSC interviewsIt took just under 30 minutes for Magistrate Tebogo Djadje to convince the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that she was more than ready to take up a position in the North West High Court.

Another commissioner said the issue had been reported in the media but Nhlangulela maintained that he had never received complaints based on this.

He claimed he was doing his best to resolve all issues in the courts and he was happy with his progress.

“Personally I am happy. Even if you don’t give me credit‚ I am happy. I can sleep at night with my family‚” Nhlangulela replied.

A seemingly displeased Mogoeng replied: “I have a problem in the manner in which you make light of serious things and these are serious things that affect the judiciary… You are there making jokes of things which discredit the judiciary”.

Nhlangulela then toned down his responses and apologised.

• 'We just don't get along' - North West judge president surprises JSC with hostile interview tacticsThe Judicial Service Commission was left startled by North West Judge President Monica Leeuw who failed to conceal her disapproval of a High Court Judge being interviewed as her potential deputy on Wednesday.

He has been the Deputy President of the Eastern Cape High Court since 2016. He had acted in the position since 2015.

Earlier‚ Mogoeng called on him to brag about what he had achieved since he took on the position.

Nhlangalula responded that he had managed to unite the judges and improve the turnaround time in the delivery of the judgments.

But when prodded to give numbers‚ he did not have the statistics.

• Certain lawyers 'groomed' for senior positions‚ JSC hearsA Northern Cape High Court judge who made a last-minute decision to decline interviews for two senior positions did so because she believed her colleague‚ who was contending for one of those positions‚ was already tipped for the position‚ the Judicial Service Commission heard on Wednesday.

Mogoeng was surprised‚ saying he himself was abreast of such issues in the Constitutional Court which he was in charge of it.

“It is my job to know. I live it‚” Mogoeng said.

Nhlangalula is one of four candidates who is vying for the Judge President post.

The JSC is expected to recommend one of the candidates to President Jacob Zuma for consideration.

- TMG Digital