He said if magistrates and judges adopted a popular view, they would be turning their backs on the fundamentals of administering justice and seeking to receive applause from the dominant public voices.
“We dare not betray our mandate for the sake of some pseudo-political correctness,” Mogoeng said.
He said the annual report was a reflection of how the judiciary was doing in its endeavour to fulfil its constitutional obligation to improve access to justice.
The report was aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability in the expeditious delivery of justice and the public’s confidence in the judiciary.
Mogoeng said the confidence of public in an independent judiciary was of paramount importance for a vibrant and functional democracy.
Lack of public confidence in the judiciary had the potential of eroding the moral authority of the judiciary.
“As you all know, we neither control the army, the police nor the public purse. Our orders are obeyed because of our public confidence-generating moral authority. If we lose public confidence, then we are finished,” Mogoeng said.