Ramaphosa replaces ‘biased’ Moyane judge

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a new presiding officer to oversee the disciplinary inquiry into suspended South African Revenue Services (Sars) boss Tom Moyane.

Judge Kate O’Regan has been replaced after Moyane’s claim that because of her ties to NGO Corruption Watch, she would be biased against him. Ramaphosa has appointed advocate Azhar Bham SC as the new presiding officer.

O’Regan’s removal “follows an objection raised by Mr Moyane regarding the links between Judge Kate O’Regan, who had initially been appointed as the presiding officer, and Corruption Watch, an NGO of which she is a board member”, the Presidency said in a statement today.

The statement continued: “While the president is certain that Judge O’Regan would have adjudicated the matter objectively and that her position did not present a conflict‚ he decided that it would nevertheless be important to remove any possible perception of bias.”

“The president has thanked Judge O’Regan for availing herself for this public service.”

Moyane had called for O’Regan’s recusal‚ pointing out that Corruption Watch had in the past accused him of treasonous acts and labelled him as a criminal who should be jailed.

Moyane was suspended by Ramaphosa‚ who has accused him of gross misconduct over his handling of an investigation into former senior Sars official Jonas Makwakwa.