The Justice for Hlophe Alliance on Friday said it would push for another Constitutional Court position for Cape Judge President John Hlophe who was not given the post of chief justice.
The alliance, however, accepted President Jacob Zuma’s nomination of Sandile Ngcobo for chief justice.
”Although we would have preferred Justice Hlophe to succeed [Pius] Langa, as a true agent for change and transformation in the judiciary, the president has spoken,” said the alliance’s Percy Gumbi.
The alliance did not believe Zuma had acted in a ”cowardly” manner in nominating Ngcobo, while Hlophe dealt with a Judicial Service Commission complaint against him.
The complaint related to Hlophe’s alleged inappropriate approach to the Constitutional Court judges on Zuma’s now abandoned corruption case.
Hlophe in turn complained about the actions of the Constitutional Court judges in handling the complaint.
”We are gracious in defeat and we will live to fight another day when we hope to still catapult justice Hlophe to the position of chief justice in years to come.
”There is still an option of pushing for Hlophe to secure one of two positions [that of deputy chief justice and/or Constitutional court judge].”
In relation to the deputy chief justice position, currently occupied by Dikgang Moseneke, Gumbi clarified this by saying that if the position ever arose, they would lobby for Ngcobo to get it.
”We don’t have any inside information, but anything is possible,” said Gumbi.
The alliance said the only difference was that ”the terrain has changed and this requires the JFH Alliance to change course”.
They claim to have collected 100 000 signatures in support of Hlophe.
The alliance said it hoped all South Africans would respect the decision to appoint Ngcobo. — Sapa