The office of the chief justice (OCJ) has denied claims of a “deep” relationship between chief justice designate Mandisa Maya and former president Jacob Zuma.
This comes after an article published by Opera News on July 27 alleged Maya had a close relationship with Zuma. The article was titled “He is like a brother to me, and [like] a father to my children”, Maya praises Zuma after her appointment”.
The OCJ dismissed the claims, saying Maya had never met Zuma.
“The OCJ wishes to put it on record that the chief justice designate, who has never met or had any contact with former president Zuma, has never made such a statement, and any suggestion the chief justice designate has a 'deep personal and professional relationship' with Zuma is unfounded, false and refuted,” it said.
The OCJ said Opera News used a quote from 2017, when Maya was appointed president of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) by Zuma, to portray a” false” narrative of a close relationship.
“The OCJ infers the article purports to refer to a statement made by the chief justice designate at the time she was recommended and appointed to the position of president of the SCA by former president Zuma in 2017. On that occasion, in response to a related, direct question during her public interview by the JSC, she stated: ‘I was very impressed by the courage and farsightedness of the person who nominated me, who is President Zuma, who does not know me from a bar of soap.’ Justice Maya stated unequivocally that former president Zuma nominated her without knowing her personally.”
The OCJ demanded a public apology and retraction of the article by Opera News.
“The OCJ demands Opera News immediately removes the article in question from its platform, as well as ceases and desists from making these false statements against the chief justice designate in any future articles. The OCJ further demands Opera News issues a public apology to the chief justice designate for publishing false statements about her,” the office said on Sunday.
Maya was appointed the new chief justice on Thursday. She is the first female chief justice and will take over her seat effective on September 1, replacing chief justice Raymond Zondo, whose term ends on August 31.
Chief justice office dismisses claims of ‘deep’ relationship between Maya and Zuma
Demands a public apology
Image: Freddy Mavunda
The office of the chief justice (OCJ) has denied claims of a “deep” relationship between chief justice designate Mandisa Maya and former president Jacob Zuma.
This comes after an article published by Opera News on July 27 alleged Maya had a close relationship with Zuma. The article was titled “He is like a brother to me, and [like] a father to my children”, Maya praises Zuma after her appointment”.
The OCJ dismissed the claims, saying Maya had never met Zuma.
“The OCJ wishes to put it on record that the chief justice designate, who has never met or had any contact with former president Zuma, has never made such a statement, and any suggestion the chief justice designate has a 'deep personal and professional relationship' with Zuma is unfounded, false and refuted,” it said.
The OCJ said Opera News used a quote from 2017, when Maya was appointed president of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) by Zuma, to portray a” false” narrative of a close relationship.
“The OCJ infers the article purports to refer to a statement made by the chief justice designate at the time she was recommended and appointed to the position of president of the SCA by former president Zuma in 2017. On that occasion, in response to a related, direct question during her public interview by the JSC, she stated: ‘I was very impressed by the courage and farsightedness of the person who nominated me, who is President Zuma, who does not know me from a bar of soap.’ Justice Maya stated unequivocally that former president Zuma nominated her without knowing her personally.”
The OCJ demanded a public apology and retraction of the article by Opera News.
“The OCJ demands Opera News immediately removes the article in question from its platform, as well as ceases and desists from making these false statements against the chief justice designate in any future articles. The OCJ further demands Opera News issues a public apology to the chief justice designate for publishing false statements about her,” the office said on Sunday.
Maya was appointed the new chief justice on Thursday. She is the first female chief justice and will take over her seat effective on September 1, replacing chief justice Raymond Zondo, whose term ends on August 31.
TimesLIVE
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Ramaphosa appoints Mandisa Maya as SA's first woman chief justice
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