The Mercury reports that barely a month after he vowed to save the cash strapped KZN Blind and Deaf Society from closing its doors, former Constitutional Court (ConCourt) Justice Zak Yacoob has resigned.  

Justice Yacoob, who chaired the society’s board, recently took over the day-to-day operations of the organisation after its director, Shamilla Surjoo, was dismissed following an internal disciplinary hearing.  Now the organisation has been left without leadership.  On Monday, Justice Yacoob confirmed he had resigned on Friday, but refused to divulge the reasons.  Last month, he was embroiled in a bitter public spat with Surjoo after her dismissal.  Justice Yacoob had accused her of not doing her job after it emerged that the society’s financial officer had allegedly stolen R12 million from the organisation over a six-year period.  The woman had reported directly to Surjoo.  Sowetan writes that after Surjoo lodged a CCMA unfair dismissal case, Yacoob reportedly offered money to persuade her to drop the matter.  When Yacoob allegedly asked Surjoo during a telephone call how much money she required to “go away”, Surjoo reportedly replied that she was a person of integrity and could not be bought.  Three days later Yacoob sent a letter of apology to Surjoo via her attorney.

• Based on reports by Kailene Pillay at The Mercury and by Nivashni Nair on page 6 of Sowetan of 9 April 2019

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