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Hlope waits for verdict

ACCUSED: Judge John Hlophe. 13/04/07. Judge John Hlophe. © Send by e-mail.
ACCUSED: Judge John Hlophe. 13/04/07. Judge John Hlophe. © Send by e-mail.

Waghied Misbach

Waghied Misbach

Cape judge president John Hlophe might find out this week if action is to be taken against him for gross incompetence, an accusation levelled at him by Cape Town advocate and senior counsel Peter Hazell.

The information officer of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), Inez Greenstein, said yesterday the issue was not on the commission's agenda. She said the JSC's members were interviewing candidates for the Cape bench this week.

"Maybe the issue will be placed on the agenda at the end of the week," Greenstein said yesterday.

Hazell wants Hlophe to resign and to be impeached if he does not.

The JSC is a statutory body that advises the government on the judiciary. It recommends candidates for appointment as judges and is chaired by the chief justice.

Hazell accused Hlophe last year of three counts of contempt of court, two of conducting unbecoming of a judge, seven of bringing the administration of justice into disrepute and three of gross incompetence.

Hlophe has rejected the accusations, claiming they were being made because he had exposed racism in the Cape judiciary.

The most recent JSC investigation into Hlophe's conduct was after Cape judge Siraj Desai accused him of a conflict of interest because of his dealings with an asset-management company, Oasis.

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