JUSTICE Minister Penuell Maduna on Wednesday acceded to a request from Cape High Court Judge President Edwin King that he retire at the end of April next year rather than the end of October. This comes after Maduna last week asked King to remain in office until the end of October. Maduna’s spokesman Paul Setsetse said that King asked that his retirement date be brought forward after “unpleasant” reports in the media. The reports speculated that Maduna had asked King to stay on in an attempt to block King’s deputy, Justice John Hlope, of moving into the top position.