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The Chief Justice, Mogoeng Mogoeng, said he would not apologise for his prayer during a thanksgiving service at Thembisa Hospital where reportedly denounced any Covid19 vaccine that "is of the devil".
A video of his comments went viral on Thursday leading to widespread criticism.
"If there is any vaccine that is being manufactured to advance a satanic agenda, of the mark of the beast, 666, if there is any vaccine that is manufactured for the purpose of corrupting the DNA of people, that vaccine must be burned, it must die. God must intervene and destroy it," he said.
But, responding to questions about his comments on Friday, the Chief Justice hit back saying he was not concerned about "fictional reputation", about how a Chief Justice should behave.
"What are you trying to have us comply with. I'm not a conformist. Our country and our Constitution does not demand of us to be that way. So, I didn't watch the backlash, maybe it was not unexpected," he said.
Justice Mogoeng said that "insults are never controversial, it is prayer in the name of Jesus that is controversial", adding that he was not going to be "begging for permission to pray, in public or in private."
He said freedom of expression was his Constitutional right and as a Christian, he was not going to be hypocritical.
The Chief Justice said if anyone who felt aggrieved by the comments or the conduct of judges, including himself, they should lay a complaint.
"I'm not against vaccinations, but I'll pray against any vaccinations that cause harm to people," he said.
