By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Office of the Chief Justice on Friday dismissed reports of tension between the outgoing Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
The office noted media reports which indicated that ahead of the February 2022 Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interview for the position of Chief Justice, there was tension between them.
Both of them were candidates nominated for the position.
According to the report, on July 24, 2022, former judiciary spokesperson Nathi Mncube wrote to the head of the Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) Meme Sejosengwe, and alleged that she had said that the then Acting Chief Justice Zondo was not happy with the inclusion of Justice Madlanga in some judicial meetings.
“On 8 December 2021, Mncube was advised by Adv Marelise Potgieter that the Secretary-General wanted a Teams meeting to discuss the 2020/21 Judiciary Report that was due for release on 10 December 2021. The meeting took place that afternoon as scheduled.
In the meeting, Sejosengwe indicated that the Acting Chief Justice Zondo, as he then was, had expressed his disquiet about the inclusion of Justice Madlanga in the draft programme for the Judiciary Day event.
In a statement the office said, “The Chief Justice and Justice Madlanga wish to set the record straight in this regard and point out that over the past 11 years during which they have been members of the Constitutional Court, there has never been any tension between them. On the contrary they have always worked very well together,” the office said.
The Chief Justice’s office said that like all other Justices of the Constitutional Court, Madlanga had given Zondo his “absolute support and cooperation” when he was acting Chief Justice and after he had been appointed as Chief Justice.
“…and since Justice Madlanga is the most senior Justice after Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, his views are sometimes sought by the Chief Justice. That has been the case from the time the Chief Justice was acting,” the office added.
Zondo, who deputised for former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, took over the reins and acted in the role before he was officially appointed to the position of Chief Justice by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The office further highlighted that Zondo appointed Madlanga to head the Committee dealing with the relationship between the Constitutional Court and other apex courts in the world, and advises Zondo.
Madlanga also said any possible suggestion that he may have been part of any plot that related to the candidacy for the position of Chief Justice was untrue.