John Jeffery (South African politician)

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The Honourable
John Jeffery
MP
Deputy Minister of Justice
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 July 2013
PresidentJacob Zuma
Cyril Ramaphosa
MinisterJeff Radebe
Michael Masutha
Ronald Lamola
Preceded byAndries Nel
Member of the National Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
1999
Personal details
NationalitySouth African
Political partyAfrican National Congress

John Harold Jeffery (born 31 October 1963) has been the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development in South Africa since 2013.[1] He was appointed by President Jacob Zuma in a cabinet reshuffle on 9 July 2013,[2][3][4] and has remained in the post throughout the tenure of current President Cyril Ramaphosa.[5][6][7]

Life and career[]

Jeffery was born in Mauritius and grew up in George in South Africa.[2] He has an BA in Political Science and English, an LLB, and a postgraduate diploma in Environmental Law from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.[7][8][1] He was active in anti-Apartheid politics,[9][10][11] and he practiced briefly as an attorney,[9] including, in the early 1990s, on cases involving political violence in KwaZulu-Natal.[2][12] He left to pursue his political career in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature,[2] to which he belonged from 1994 to 1999.[13] In South Africa's second democratic elections in 1999, he was elected to the National Assembly on the African National Congress (ANC) list for KwaZulu-Natal.[7] While a Member of Parliament, he served on the Rules Committee and the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development.[7] From 1999 to 2005, he was Parliamentary Counsellor to Deputy President Jacob Zuma,[1] and he was also Parliamentary Counsellor to President Thabo Mbeki[14] and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.[15][3] He has served on the ANC National Executive Committee.[1]

Legislation[]

Jeffrey has been described as a "champion" of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill.[16] According to the Business Day, as a senior member of the Portfolio Committee on Justice he drove the ANC caucus's efforts to pass the controversial Legal Practice Act,[17] for which he continued to advocate after he was appointed to the Ministry.[18][19]

Controversies[]

Remark about Lindiwe Mazibuko[]

In a parliamentary debate in June 2013, Jeffrey compared Lindiwe Mazibuko's stature as opposition leader with her "weight," by which many understood him to mean her body weight. According to the Hansard, he said, "The Honourable Mazibuko may be a person of some weight, is she a person of some stature?"[20] Following national media coverage,[21][22][23] the ANC issued a statement saying that Jeffery had not intended to comment on Mazibuko's physical appearance, but that he would unconditionally withdraw his remark.[24] He later apologised to Mazibuko in Parliament.[25][26]

Powers of the Public Protector and Nkandla judgement[]

According to the Mail and Guardian, by 2013 Jeffery had "a history of sparring with Public Protector Thuli Madonsela over the extent of her [office's] independence."[27] In 2014 and 2015, while Deputy Minister, he made headlines for arguing that the Nkandla report and other decisions by the Public Protector were not legally binding.[28][29][30][31][32][33] In April 2016, he defended President Jacob Zuma in a parliamentary debate on an unsuccessful motion to remove him from office following a Constitutional Court judgement about his non-compliance with the Public Protector's report. Jeffery reportedly said that, while the judgement found that the President's conduct had been inconsistent with the Constitution, it did not find that Zuma had committed a "serious violation."[34][35] He also reportedly said that even the incumbent Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, was unsure about the extent of the office's powers, leading Madonsela to respond on Twitter.[36][37][38] In 2015, she claimed that Jeffery had initiated efforts to shrink the Office of the Public Protector,[39] which he denied.[40]

In 2017, Jeffery received further media attention for defending replacements Zuma had made at the Judicial Service Commission, which recommends judicial appointments. Jeffery argued, as he already had in 2014,[41][42][43] against the view that Zuma was undermining the independence of the judiciary.[44][45][46]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "Mr John Harold Jeffery". South African Government. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ a b c d Manyathi-Jele, Nomfundo (2013-10-01). "Q&A with Deputy Minister John Jeffery". De Rebus. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ a b Tabane, Rapule; Makinana, Andisiwe (2013-07-09). "Zuma's new Cabinet not all it's cracked up to be". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "President Jacob Zuma announces members of the National Executive". The Presidency. 2014-05-25. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Capazoria, Bianca (2017-11-06). "Justice department mulls changes to sex-offences legislation". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2018-03-06.
  6. ^ Nicolson, Greg (2015-06-11). "The Gathering 2015: Fired up social justice panelists roast deputy justice minister". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2018-03-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ a b c d "John Jeffery". People's Assembly. Retrieved 2021-02-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Consultation and the Constitution". Helen Suzman. August 2014. Retrieved 2021-11-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ a b "CV Deputy Minister Jeffery". Department of Justice. 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Bhebhe, Ngqabutho Nhlanganiso (1996). Mobilization, Conflict and Repression: The United Democratic Front and Political Struggles in the Pietermaritzburg region, 1983-1991 (PDF). p. 45.
  11. ^ Bhebhe, Ngqabutho Nhlanganiso (1996). "Mobilization, Conflict and Repression: The United Democratic Front and Political Struggles in the Pietermaritzburg region, 1983-1991" (MA thesis). p.45.
  12. ^ "Interview: obstacles to peace in Natal" (PDF). Sechaba. 24 (8): 20–22. August 1990. ISSN 0037-0509.
  13. ^ Manyathi-Jele, Nomfundo (July 2014). "New justice ministry announced". De Rebus.
  14. ^ "Response of the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, to the Debate on the Budget Vote of the Presidency: National Assembly, 13 June 2007". DIRCO. 2007. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ De Lange, Deon (2011-08-21). "Begging for the question". Sunday Tribune. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ "Legislation: ICC withdrawal Bill loses its champion". LegalBrief. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Hartley, Wyndham (2013-07-16). "Jeffery appointment could delay legal bill". Business Day. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Why we need Legal Practice Bill - Deputy Minister". LegalBrief. 2013-10-17. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ Smuts, Dene; Jeffery, John (2013-11-28). "Legal Practice Bill: Fusion in disguise". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "Hansard: NA: Debate on Vote No 2". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 2013-06-11. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Gwarube, Siviwe (2013-06-12). "Jeffery's low blow: That fatuous 'fat' comment". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  22. ^ "ANC defends Mazibuko 'weight' comment". eNCA. 2013-06-13. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ Morudu, Palesa (2013-06-18). "Parliamentary memo: don't forget to send in the clowns". Business Day. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ Makinana, Andisiwe (2013-06-18). "Jeffery apologises to Mazibuko for weight comment". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "ANC withdraws Mazibuko weight remark". Sunday Times. 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ Saner, Emine (2013-06-14). "Top 10 sexist moments in politics: Julia Gillard, Hillary Clinton and more". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ "Madonsela can take Nkandla report to Parliament, says Jeffery". The Mail & Guardian. 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  28. ^ Jeffery, John (2014-10-06). "Are the PP's findings really legally binding?". Politicsweb. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ "Protector's decision not binding, says Jeffery". Sunday Times. 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ "Public Protector ruling not legally binding - Jeffery". News24. 2014-10-05. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. ^ "Protector's decision not legally binding: Jeffery". Moneyweb. 2014-10-05. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ Manyathi-Jele, Nomfundo (2015-02-28). "Public Protector's findings not legally binding". De Rebus. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ Masombuka, Sipho; Skelton, Dominic (2015-02-05). "'Who made Thuli God?'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  34. ^ "MPs vote against removing President from office". South African Government News Agency. 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2021-11-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ "Zuma did not violate Constitution - Deputy Justice Minister". Polity. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  36. ^ Williams, Denise (2016-04-08). "Leave me alone, says Madonsela". The Citizen. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  37. ^ "Public Protector fires back at John Jeffery". eNCA. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  38. ^ "I've never been confused about protector's powers - Madonsela". News24. 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  39. ^ Evans, Sarah (2015-11-27). "Public protector: 'Hearts have hardened'". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  40. ^ Jeffery, John (2015-12-06). "Thuli Madonsela's conspiracy theories don't wash". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ^ Jeffery, John (2014-02-27). "ANC: Judicial independence crucial to democracy". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  42. ^ "Jeffrey responds to De Klerk statements". IOL. 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  43. ^ "Zuma is not undermining the courts: Jeffery". eNCA. 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  44. ^ Jeffery, John (2017-03-10). "Op-Ed: There's no conspiracy behind Zuma's decision to replace three members of the JSC". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
  45. ^ "Zuma proposes three new members of JSC amidst a storm of criticism". Business Day. 2017-03-24. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  46. ^ "Zuma takes first steps to 'capture' South Africa's judiciary: report". 2017-03-27. Retrieved 2021-11-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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