Impeachment more politics than justice - Hlophe
Cape Judge President John Hlophe believes it was not 'mere coincidence' that he was asked to reply to the JSC a day before President Jacob Zuma was inaugurated.
According to a report in The Times, Hlophe said in papers filed in the High Court in Johannesburg that the JSC's impeachment proceedings against him had more to do with politics than public interest and justice. Hlophe filed an urgent application in the High Court last week for an interdict declaring the JSC hearings unlawful. The court was due to hear the matter yesterday, but it was postponed. Hlophe's advocate, Vuyani Ngalwana, said the parties agreed to postpone the matter to 18 May on condition that the Justice Minister filed his response by 14 May. Hlophe would respond the next day. The JSC hearing last month was held to investigate claims by the Constitutional Court justices that Hlophe tried to improperly influence two of them in matters related to Zuma. Hlophe said he was sick and did not attend last month's hearing. The Justice Minister recused himself from the hearing, which has led Hlope to claim the hearing was not properly constituted. Full report in The Times