An advocacy group, Judges Matter, which monitors the judiciary, says prospects of the Judge president of the Western Cape High Court Division, John Hlophe’s court application succeeding are slim.
This comes after Hlophe filed an urgent review application to stop President Cyril Ramaphosa from suspending him.
Judge President, John Hlophe turns hopes to court in a bid to end his suspension
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) resolved to advise Ramaphosa to suspend Hlophe pending the outcome of his possible impeachment by the National Assembly.
Hlophe was found guilty of gross misconduct, for allegedly trying to influence two former Constitutional Court Justices, Bess Nkabinde and Chris Jafta in a matter involving Jacob Zuma when he was still the ANC president in 2008.
Dragging for too long
The group says the matter between the JSC and Hlophe has been dragging on for far too long.
It is calling on both parties to urgently finalise the matter.
Mbekezeli Benjamin of the advocacy group says the reason is that the JSC had previously undertaken that they would not place him on suspension in 2012 well before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal had found him guilty of misconduct.
Benjamin says, “Even after the JSC had found Judge Hlophe guilty of gross misconduct in August of 2021, the JSC gave an undertaking that they will not proceed with his suspension until his high court review was heard. The high court review was heard and a decision came out in May 2022, which meant that the JSC could then proceed with the suspension.”
The decision of the JSC to request for suspension of Hlophe has drawn mixed reactions from some parties.
This follows the Commission finding Hlophe guilty of gross misconduct by attempting to influence two now retired Constitutional Court Judges in a matter involving former president Jacob Zuma in 2008.
Hlophe has been granted permission by the High Court in Johannesburg to appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
JSC Spokesperson Doris Tshepe also weighed in on the conversation.
Mixed reactions to JSC’s recommendation to suspend John Hlophe
