Basic Information
Stage Name:	John Hlophe
Real Name:	Yahya John Mandlakayise Hlophe
Occupation:	Judge President
Date Of Birth/Age:	1st January 1959 (64 Years Old
Place of Birth:	Stanger, Natal, Union of South Africa
Gender:	Male
Nationality:	South African
Marital Status:	Gayaat Salie-Hlophe
Education:	University of Natal University of Fort Hare Cambridge University

Biography

Yahya John Mandlakayise Hlophe, popularly known as John Hlophe, is the Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa.

Hlophe was accused of “unreasonably” delaying his judgment on leave to appeal in a 2004 case between Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and elements of the pharmaceutical industry. According to reports on Wikipedia, “the unsuccessful party in the matter had been forced by Hlophe’s failure to either grant or refused leave to appeal and had applied directly to the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa for leave to appeal.”

A case was lodged by Western Cape Deputy Judge President on 15 January 2020, alleging a range of severe incidents of misconduct by Hlophe. He was accused of “attempting to influence judicial appointments, assaulting fellow judges, sexual impropriety and creating a climate of hostility and fear in chambers.”

Age

John Hlophe was born in Stanger, Natal, Union of South Africa, on January 1st, 1959. He celebrated his 63rd birthday on the first of January in 2022.

Net Worth

The exact estimate of John Hlophe’s net worth is unknown to the general public. Neither he nor anyone in his team has revealed it. However, several outlets, including GhanaAdmission, have estimated his net worth to be between $1million to $ 5 million.

Wife

John Hlophe married Gayaat Salie-Samuels, now Hlophe, in April 2015. They married in a traditional Muslim ceremony that made international headlines. Channel Islam, the first Islamic satellite radio station, reported, “Judge John Hlophe, Judge President of the Western Cape Division of the High Court of South Africa, has reportedly converted to Islam.”

The traditional ceremony occurred in Claremont on Sunday morning with the reception at the Steenberg Golf Estate. Hlophe reportedly converted to Islam two months earlier in preparation for the marriage. Among the 100 guests who witnessed the joining was Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

TimesLIVE reported that he said the marriage represented “non-racialism and tolerance among all South Africans.” He continued, “This wedding, attended by people from different religious groups, represents the true rainbow nation and shows that people from all religious groups can live side-by-side in South Africa.” Hlophe returned to work immediately after his wedding.

In late 2020, it was alleged that Gayaat had been involved in the improper management of the Western Cape Division. She allegedly enjoyed preferential treatment and made unwarranted complaints against her colleagues. The complaints were dismissed by the Judicial Conduct Committee because there wasn’t enough evidence to warrant a formal investigation by the tribunal.

Qualifications

John Hlophe was educated to be the learned man he is today at the University of Natal, the University of Fort Hare, and Cambridge University.

Impeachment

John Hlophe was found guilty of gross misconduct in April 2021 by the JSC. This followed allegations that he tried to influence the outcome of a pending Constitutional Court matter involving former president Jacob Zuma in 2008. A released statement by the JSC read, “At its meeting on Monday, July 25, 2022, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)… deliberated and resolved to advise the president to suspend Judge President Hlophe. This is following the decision of the JSC on August 25, 2021… that Judge President Hlophe is guilty of gross misconduct.”

His lawyer, Barnabas Xulu, SC, said that while it may be left to Ramaphosa to suspend Hlophe, it may all be undone if the SCA sets aside the JSC findings. He also stated his confidence that Hlophe would not be impeached.

In August 2022, SABC News reported that Judges Matters, an advocacy group that monitors the Judiciary, stated that “the matter between the JSC and Hlophe has been dragging on for far too long.”

Background

John Hlophe was a Law teacher at the University of Transkei, South Africa. Later, he was appointed in 1995, at the age of 36, to sit as the first Black judge in the High Court of Cape Town. He became the first full-time academic to be appointed as a High Court Judge. Later, in 2000, he was appointed to head the court.