The Independent Democrat’s former Western Cape leader Lennit Max and his lawyer walked out of his disciplinary hearing in Cape Town on Friday.
The walk-out came after independent presiding officer Sarah Christie refused to adjourn proceedings for Max to bring a high court application for a Christie’s recusal.
The application for recusal was made on Friday when the hearing resumed after a two-month break. The hearing was postponed in April because Max was reportedly suffering from a stress-related illness.
He faces half a dozen charges, including dismissing employees and closing ID offices without authorisation, misusing a constituency allowance, and unlawfully tape recording a conversation with a fellow ID member.
His lawyer, Leon van Rensburg earlier accused Christie — a labour law expert — of being biased against his client, and said she had committed legal errors in conducting the hearing.
He said they would immediately brief an advocate with a view to approaching the high court on Friday. – Sapa