Official not sorry for 'drunk' slur on judge

09 August 2010, 07:08
Political Bureau

ANC Youth League secretary-general Vuyiswa Tulelo has refused to apologise to a High Court judge for reportedly referring to a ruling by her as a "drunken decision".

Advocates have blasted her statement as an attack on the judiciary and a "vulgar" attempt to intimidate judges. The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has also expressed concern.

Advocates for Transformation took Tulelo to task for insulting Grahamstown High Court Judge Nomathamsanqa Beshe.

Judge Beshe ruled against Julius Malema's leadership of the league and reversed itsdecision to disband the league's Eastern Cape provincial leadership.

Tulelo was quoted in a daily newspaper as saying: "In the Eastern Cape, the judge there took a drunk decision, an absolute drunk decision. An indication that she does not know the ANC Youth League."

Now the advocates' body has called on the HRC to probe what it sees as an outright attack on the judiciary.

"Tulelo's statements are... a blatant attack on one of the institutions of our democracy, the judiciary," the organisation said. "They are a vulgar attempt to intimidate judges and all those who are committed to the rule of law.

"More importantly, and sadly, her reported words are an unadulterated ad hominem assault on and an invasion of Judge Beshe's dignity."

It could not stand idly by while the judiciary was being attacked unnecessarily, Advocates for Transformation said.

Tulelo should retract her statement and "pick up a phone and apologise" to Judge Beshe.

If she did not, the police would be asked to investigate a case of crimen injuria.

Tulelo shot back, arguing that the organisation should have approached her first about the alleged comments.

But the organisation's Anthea Platt said Tulelo's argument did not make sense.

"We saw her say what she said (on TV). Why should we pick up the phone to ask her?"

HRC spokesman Vincent Moaga said no complaint against Tulelo had been received.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Cape Times on August 09, 2010

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Comments by Sonnt

The ANC managed to take Malema out of the bush for three weeks..........!

They will never take the bush out of Julius!