The lawyer representing Cape Judge President John Hlophe on Thursday denied reports that Hlophe is to lodge a counter-complaint with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) against Constitutional Court judges, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported.
This comes after two Constitutional Court judges laid a complaint with the commission against Hlophe for trying to improperly influence the Constitutional Court’s decision on search raids by the Scorpions on the premises of African National Congress president Jacob Zuma.
Hlophe’s lawyer, Lister Nuku, said: ”It is not correct to say that Judge Hlophe has launched a counter-complaint; it is something that was not correctly reported.
”He is concerned about the fact that the judges of the Constitutional Court released a media statement before a complaint was laid and that is obviously a violation of his rights, and I indicated that he is now considering his options given that his rights have been violated”.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has granted Hlophe a request for leave.
It said Hlophe will be on leave pending the outcome of the investigation into the complaint lodged by the judges. — Sapa