Advocates report 'intimidating' judge to JSC

Judge President of the new Limpopo division of the High Court, Ephraim Makgoba, is facing charges of intimidation, according to a City Press report. Two complaints have been laid at the JSC against Makgoba by two advocates over whose cases he presided. One of the complainants is Kevin Maluleke (36), who has also opened a case of intimidation against Makgoba at the Polokwane police station. Maluleke claims to have received a call from Makgoba during which the latter allegedly said he was in contempt of court for refusing to submit his advocates’ admission certificate to Makgoba’s office after his secretary asked for it. Maluleke said his only crime was to ask why the judge wanted it in the first place, and whether or not all advocates were required to submit theirs. He also asked for a formal request to be sent to him so he could put it in his records. ‘The judge made threats to me and said that he was going to deal with me professionally and personally,’ Maluleke said, adding that he felt threatened by Makgoba and feared for his career and his life. Maluleke has asked the JSC to suspend Makgoba from his duties because he is still presiding over cases in the Polokwane High Court. ‘In his affidavit, Maluleke claimed Makgoba threatened to deal with him ‘like he dealt with Advocate Shadrack Tebeila’. Tebeila reportedly laid a complaint against Makgoba in May with the JSC, alleging that the judge threatened him because he was considering appealing a court order Makgoba had granted. In his affidavit, Tebeila said he felt ‘undermined’ and ‘threatened’ by Makgoba. ‘During the phone conversation, he asked me why I was appealing his court order and subsequently told me not to appeal to the Constitutional Court,’ he said.