President Jacob Zuma has announced his judiciary appointments.
A member of the Competition Tribunal panel was removed when it emerged that she was a member of the central committee of the South African Communist Party, Beeld reported on Thursday.
Professor Fiona Tregenna would have sat on the panel that was due to hear a dispute between Media24 and Gold-Net News.
According to the Competition Act, no official of any political party, movement or organisation connected to a political party could sit on the panel.
SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo on Wednesday confirmed that Tregenna was a member of the party's central committee.
The tribunal was expected to sit on Wednesday but was postponed.
A highly qualified economist
Tribunal chairperson Norman Manoim declined to say who complained about Tregenna being on the panel, the newspaper reported.
Members of the tribunal were appointed by President Jacob Zuma and Tregenna had been a part-time panel member since September.
Manoim said Tregenna had been appointed to the panel because she was a highly qualified economist with a PhD degree from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom.
The tribunal would continue on Tuesday. – Sapa