Judge accused of delaying delivery of reserved judgments

A Pretoria High Court judge has been accused of delaying the delivery of judgments‚ in some cases for more than two years.

Judge Moses Mavundla on Tuesday faced up to a Judicial Conduct Tribunal looking at complaints over delays in delivering reserved judgments.

The tribunal – headed by Justice Bess Nkabinde and with Judge Pule Tlaletsi and Advocate Nazeer Cassim as members – has a mandate to investigate and report on complaints relating to reserved judgments by some judges of the Gauteng Division of the High Court.

The tribunal resumed on Tuesday with a hearing against Mavundla. The session was meant to be open to the public‚ however‚ it was held behind closed doors.

Tribunal spokesperson Sello Chiloane said Mavundla had failed to deliver his reserved judgments within 12 months.

"Some of his judgments were delayed for more than two years‚" Chiloane said.

One such matter was between Christian Roberts and the minister of social development.

"He reserved judgment in September 2007 and delivered it in March 2010‚" Chiloane said.

In the matter‚ Roberts was challenging the constitutionality of certain sections of the Social Assistance Act. He was challenging issues concerning the rights of both women and men between the ages of 60 and 64 who receive or are eligible to receive old age pension grants.

He was challenging the eligibility age for the pension which was 65 for men and 60 for women.

According to News 24‚ the Western Cape is sitting with a backlog of late judgments – with the number reportedly sitting at 16.