Malema backs Tony Yengeni’s JSC complaint against ‘factionalist’ Zondo

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has endorsed ANC member Tony Yengeni’s move to lay a complaint against Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

Yengeni recently filed a complaint with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) against Zondo over some of the findings in the latest volume of the report on state capture.

The ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member argued that Zondo breached the Code of Judicial Conduct when he made findings which had political implications. This relates to Zondo’s comments on ANC’s 2017 elective conference.

In the latest state capture report, Zondo stated that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s election in the conference had essentially saved the country from further damage.

ALSO READ: Malema accuses Zondo of political interference over Zuma meetings

Yengeni has accused the Chief Justice of venturing into the political arena.

He also said Zondo’s findings “may have the effect of fanning factional fires” within the ANC, and influence delegates’ political voting patterns at the governing party’s upcoming 55th national elective conference in December 2022.

Yengeni’s move has since been supported by Malema.

Addressing the media during a briefing on Monday, the EFF leader slammed Zondo, likening the judge to a TV presenter.

“We are fully behind Tony Yengeni. We think Chief Justice Zondo is too forward and has no limit. He thinks that judges are untouchable that’s why he has given himself a responsibility to even enter the political terrain,” he said.

“For some reason I personally think that Zondo wished to be a TV presenter… remember we used to have presenters who introduced programs. I think [Zondo] thinks that he was supposed to be like that because he never misses an opportunity to appear on TV,” the EFF leader added.

Malema said he believed that Zondo was “a factionalist who is in support of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second term”.

“That’s why he saw it necessary for him to say that Ramaphosa’s election in the ANC rescued us from where we were. He is effectively saying if you don’t vote Ramaphosa in December we are going to be in trouble,” he continued.

READ MORE: Malema tells Zondo being called a ‘house negro’ not an insult, but ‘academic criticism’

The EFF leader further called on the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) to discipline Zondo.

“The same way they did when Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng descended into the terrain of politics… it will not be for the first time. So Tony Yengeni must be commended for taking action against a celebrity-wannabe Chief Justice,” Malema concluded.

This isn’t the first time Malema and his party have publicly criticised Zondo.

Earlier in the year, the EFF labelled the Chief Justice as an “attention-seeking Barry White, who has no understanding of politics.”

This is after Zondo held a press conference responding to Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu’s controversial opinion piece in which she criticised the judiciary and constitution.

State capture report: Zondo too desperate to be next Chief Justice, says EFF