The Supreme Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) appeal against a high court ruling setting aside its dismissal of the complaint against Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe.
The JSC and Hlophe appealed against the decision of the Western Cape High Court, which had found that proceedings before the JSC in July and August 2009 were unconstitutional and invalid.
During these meetings, the JSC dismissed a complaint of gross misconduct against Hlophe, as well as a counter-complaint he had brought against several Constitutional Court judges for allegedly breaching his constitutional rights.
The high court application was brought by Western Cape Premier Helen Zille.
The matter began in 2008 when Constitutional Court judges alleged that Hlophe tried to improperly influence a decision in a case involving President Jacob Zuma. — Sapa