Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended two judges, Tshifhiwa Maumela and Nomonde Mngqibisa-Thusi, in order to conduct an investigation into alleged misconduct by the Judicial Conduct Tribunal.
Maumela was presiding over the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial in the High Court in Pretoria.
In a statement, the Presidency said the investigation will centre on the two judges’ alleged “excessive delays… in handing down a significant number of judgments”.
“On 26 January 2023, the Judicial Service Commission accepted a recommendation of the Judicial Conduct Committee that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that the judges were guilty of misconduct in delaying the handing down of a significant number of judgments.
“The Commission decided the matter should be referred to the Judicial Conduct Tribunal for investigation.
“At its meeting of 20 April 2023, the Judicial Service Commission took a decision to advise the President to suspend Justice Maumela and Justice Mngqibisa-Thusi pending a tribunal process envisaged in Section 19(1) of the Judicial Service Commission Act, 1994 (Act No.9 of 1994),” the statement read.
The two are suspended subject to the condition that they finalise their part-heard matters.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
