Judges blast Radebe's 'naïve' code of conduct
Times Live reports that, addressing an ad hoc committee of parliament on behalf of retired judges on Wednesday, 16 May 2012, former Cape Town High Court judge president Gerald Friedman tore into Justice Minister Jeff Radebe's draft code of conduct for judges, describing it as "naive in the extreme" and "unnecessary".
The new code of conduct -- aimed at preventing corruption and issues of conflict of interest in the judiciary - will force retired judges to publicly declare their and their families' financial and business interests.
Friedman said former members of the bench had a huge respect for the judiciary .It was not "necessary", he said, to compel retired judicial officers to declare how much they were earning from private jobs. "As retired judges, we respect the institution of the judiciary to the extent that we would never do anything that might bring it into disrepute," said Friedman.
According to Times Live, ANC MP Llewellyn Launders retorted by asking why the judges - who earn a salary even after retirement - had a problem declaring their finances and business interests if they are 'squeaky clean'. "If you've been squeaky clean - which you have been - we acknowledge that, and we do so with great pride, [...] there should be no problem in you declaring," Launders said.
Read the full article on www.timeslive.co.za.
