MKP Youth League claims AfriForum’s Hlophe application ‘baseless’

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party Youth League (MKPYL) said AfriForum’s decision to approach the Constitutional Court in a bid to get impeached former Western Cape High Court John Hlophe kicked out as a member of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) is “baseless, vexatious and irrational.”

Hlophe, who became the first judge in the country’s history to be impeached, was elected earlier this month to serve on the JSC.

However, Hlophe’s election to the JSC was met with mixed views, and now AfriForum wants him out.

“Baseless”

MKPYL spokesperson Nkateko Mkhabela said they have taken note of AfriForum seeking direct access to the Constitutional Court on an urgent basis.

“We note in that such an application by AfriForum is baseless, vexatious and irrational and is a desperate attempt to throw the spanner in the grinding wheels of justice and more particularly neoliberal quartet perpetuation of animosity and pure jealousy in the person of Dr John Hlophe.

“The AfriForum mandate from its masters is to destabilise and weaken the momentum of the MK Party in Parliament as the official opposition party,” Mkhabela said.

AfriForum in its papers said Hlophe’s election is “irrational, unlawful and in conflict with the National Assembly’s (NA) constitutional duty” and wants his appointment set aside.

ALSO READ: AfriForum approaches ConCourt to get Hlophe kicked off JSC

Hlophe compromised

According AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, it is “unthinkable that aspiring judges ethics, integrity and suitability to serve as a judge should be assessed by Hlophe as a member of the JSC”.

AfriForum also argued that it would be inappropriate for Hlophe to be involved in deciding who the next judge president of the Western Cape would be given his animosity with deputy judge president Patricia Goliath.

According to Kriel, the JSC will conduct interviews with prospective judges in October this year and it would violate the public’s trust in the judiciary if Hlophe were to be part of the interview process.

The lobby group argued that judges appearing before Hlophe might later be involved in reviews and appeals related to Jacob Zuma’s criminal case once it is finally decided.

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