Chief Justice Zondo warns against repeating mistakes of the last 30 years of democracy
Zondo delivered the annual Dullah Omar memorial lecture at the University of the Western Cape on Friday night.
FILE: Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is seen during a session of the commission of inquiry into state capture in Johannesburg on 16 November 2020. Picture: AFP
CAPE TOWN - Chief Justice Raymond Zondo says he might have made enemies and admirers along the way, but he will never try to please anyone.
He made the remarks while delivering the annual Dullah Omar memorial lecture at the University of the Western Cape on Friday night.
ALSO READ:
- MP's want feedback on the implementation of state capture recommendations
- Zondo will consider recusal from Phala Phala matter if requested
Zondo titled his memorial lecture the "rule of law and the judiciary in the first thirty years of democracy".
He reflected on the last 30 years and how Dullah Omar played an integral part as the first justice minister in democratic South Africa.
Zondo also touched on the rule of law and the need to perform per his oath of office even whether people like him.
"I will never perform my functions with the motive of pleasing anybody no matter who they are. I always remember my oath of office."
He also warned that the country risks repeating its mistakes if it doesn’t reflect on the last three decades.
"If we don’t identify where we went wrong, we run the risk of repeating in the fourth decade some of the features of the last 30 years that have held us back."
Zondo said South Africa has to look back at the last 30 years and identify what people like Omar would look at and be proud of.