Gordhan: I Would Never Seek To Influence The Chief Justice, Or The JSC In The Appointment Of Judges

INSIDE POLITICS TEAM|

IN a desperate bid to defend himself from explosive claims of interfering with the independence of the judiciary, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has denied ever trying to influence Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng to appoint his friend, Dhaya Pillay, to fill a position as a judge at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).

Gordhan’s denial comes on the day the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) opened a case of corruption against him with the Hillbrow police for abusing his authority by trying to influence the Chief Justice to appoint Pillay as a judge.  

The case of corruption against Gordhan also comes at a time in South Africa where there are deep suspicions that the judiciary was ‘captured’ by powerful business interests, including senior members of the African National Congress (ANC).

Former president Jacob Zuma accused judges of the Constitutional Court of a personal vendetta against him, saying