A short, well-built man, who described himself as the bodyguard of controversial Cape Judge President John Hlophe, told security guards blocking the doors to court 1 at the Western Cape High Court that he had been sent to ‘taste his water to check it wasn’t poisoned”.
When he was denied entry, along with the heaving pack of journalists jostling for a position in the queue outside the door, the man explained to the security guards he had been sent to taste the water and to examine the security in the court before Hlophe arrived to preside over the case involving the plea and sentencing of taxi driver Zola Tongo.
The man was let into the empty court and came out of a back exit. Asked by the Mail & Guardian whether he had tasted Hlophe’s water, he nodded and smiled.
Later, he ordered journalists in one of the queues to move to make a path to court.
It caused an uproar, but the journalists reluctantly shifted to one side, refusing to give up their places closest to the door in the scramble to get seats inside the courtroom.
Hlophe could not be reached on his cellphone or at his office for comment. However, the M&G received confirmation from court sources that Hlophe now has ‘two short bodyguards”, who are not to be underestimated.
Asked if they tasted his water to check it was not poisoned, the M&G was told they ‘normally do that”.
The courtroom where Tongo appeared was also checked by sniffer dogs before anyone arrived.
The M&G was informed that the men were Hlophe’s permanent bodyguards ‘up until there are changes” and that they were around most of the day.
Asked if the judge president had received death threats and who was paying for the bodyguards, justice department spokesman Tlali Tlali said he would make inquiries.
At the time of going to press, he had not yet answered the queries.