judge ngoepe rescues himself

http://Zuma judge recuses himself from trial - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source

For months on end we were bombarded with stories on Jacob Zuma raping saga and how unfit he was to be the next president. Yet in the midst of that there was more drama taking place concerning the case which most people did not pay attention to such as Judge Ngoepe stepping down as presiding officer of the case. Judge Ngoepe realised that this case was too much for him and in order for him to be safe he would rather step down as the presiding officer in Zuma’s case, it was also discovered that he didn’t preside out of his own will but because his deputy presiding officers suggested that he chairs the case as this was a “high-profile trial” and not a “pleasant matter". Zuma’s attorney seems to have had a hold against the judges as the judge was caught in between serving justice or maintaining his reputation to the public and ensuring safety for his family knowing how feral zuma’s supporters could get at times. This leads me to question whether firstly South Africa’s justice system is up to standard or not as Judge Ngoepe could have continued with the case and if necessary sentence Jacob Zuma accordingly but instead he chose to step down which to me highlighted incompetency on his side and a lack of security for South African law workers and if this means every time a high profile case comes up law workers of that level will always crumble down and not show that they are fit and proper as it is a requirement for all law workers admitted into the bar. This article also highlighted that was Mr Zuma cleared simply because he was the next president and no judge wanted to be known as the judge that sentenced him or does the south African law cater for certain people only as rules can be bent for certain people like Mr Jacob Zuma. The defence also ,used this to their advantage especially because they had fans cheering for Zuma outside singing “umshini wami” (bring my gun), which is a warfare song that was named South Africa’s second anthem. No judge in their right state of mind would have sentenced Zuma under the circumstances mentioned leading to a very blunt yet necessary question was justice served and does South Africa have any competent workers in the law field if yes where were they during this trial? Will South Africa always be faced with this issue??