Even while he faces the specter of impeachment, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has no qualms about wielding the big stick. The president has just suspended Judge President John Hlophe “with immediate effect.”
The suspension, of course, readily reminds one of the military era (elsewhere), when things take place with the same effect. The judge stood accused of gross misconduct.
The judge was the subject of an investigation by the Judicial Conduct Tribunal found that he breached the provisions of Section 165 of the Constitution by improperly attempting to influence the two Justices of the Constitutional Court to violate their oaths of office.”
President Ramaphosa made the decision to suspend the judge based on advice from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which had delivered its report to him as early as July this year.
In its recommendation concerning the embattled judge, the commission noted that his behavior seriously threatened and interfered with the independence, impartiality, dignity and effectiveness of the Constitutional Court and further undermined public confidence in the judicial system.
The case is not exactly over for the judge, though, as his case is now before the National Assembly, which might decide to impeach him. For now, his fate hands in the balance.
