Hlophe to challenge court ruling on JSC

IMPEACHED Western Cape judge president and uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) caucus leader in Parliament, Dr John Hlophe, has vowed to appeal the Western Cape High Court ruling, which barred him from representing his party in the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

- WILLEM PHUNGULA [e-mail]

Reacting to the decision during the party’s media briefing yesterday, Hlophe said in isiZulu: “Ngeke sidlale amajaji la sizodlulisa isinqumo (We are going to appeal the decision).”

On Monday, the court set aside a decision by the National Assembly made in July last year to endorse the recommendation of the MKP to have him serve as one of its six parliamentarians. The party had nominated Hlophe to serve on the JSC, which empowers him to participate in the appointment of judges.

The JSC was due to conduct interviews for the vacant positions of judges, however, the DA, Freedom Under Law, and Corruption Watch filed an urgent interdict to prevent Hlophe from sitting in the interviews.

The court granted an interdict.