Cape Judge President John Hlophe on Thursday asked the members of the Judicial Services Commission’s complaints committee to resign, his lawyer Barnabas Xulu said.
”All the current members of the Complaints Commission violated the JSC’s rules so as it stands now they are accused of being biased … the easiest way out for them would be to resign and make vacancy for new people,” said Xulu.
Xulu said this would allow the proceedings to start from the beginning before a new JSC, where charges would be formulated in a pro forma charge sheet and Hlophe would know exactly what case to face.
This is included in the offer made by Hlophe to the JSC after he rejected the commission’s offer to settle their dispute last week.
The high court in Johannesburg asked Justice Hlophe and the JSC to try to find a settlement, before the court rules on Hlophe’s application to stop the proceedings by the JSC on his alleged misconduct.
The judges of the Constitutional Court lodged a complaint with the JSC last year that Hlophe had allegedly approached two judges inappropriately over a judgement relating to President Jacob Zuma.
Hlophe in turn complained to the JSC about the judges’ decision to make the matter public before he had a chance to answer to the accusation. — Sapa