'Dictator gone mad and power hungry': Dali Mpofu slams Ramaphosa for suspending Hlophe

Advocate Dali Mpofu has called President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to suspend judge president John Hlophe “unfair”, referring to Ramaphosa as a “bloody tin-pot dictator gone mad”.

Hlophe was suspended on Wednesday, pending impeachment proceedings against him for gross misconduct.

The decision comes after the Judicial Conduct Tribunal (JCT) found Hlophe “breached the provisions of section 165 of the constitution by improperly attempting to influence two justices of the Constitutional Court to violate their oaths of office”.

The suspension was based on advice from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), whose report Ramaphosa received on July 27.

“So according to Ramaphosa, everyone facing an impeachment process must be suspended even if they’ve taken the impeachment process on judicial review, for the sake of maintaining 'the integrity of the office' except Ramaphosa himself,” said Mpofu.

“Bloody tin-pot dictator gone mad and power hungry.”

The presidency said Ramaphosa appreciated the need to balance Hlophe’s rights with those of the public and the interest of the judiciary as a whole.

"Section 177 (3) of the constitution states the president, on the advice of the JSC, may suspend a judge who is the subject of a procedure in terms of subsection (1) that deals with the removal of a judge found guilty of gross misconduct," it said.

In May 2008, Constitutional Court judges complained Hlophe had approached two of its members in an attempt to influence the outcome of a judgment related to corruption charges against former president Jacob Zuma.

The presidency said the Judicial Conduct Tribunal (JCT) concluded Hlophe’s conduct had breached the provisions of the constitution by improperly attempting to influence judges to violate their oaths of office.

“The JCT established that Hlophe’s behaviour seriously threatened and interfered with the independence, impartiality, dignity and effectiveness of the Constitutional Court and undermined public confidence in the judicial system.” The Judicial Service Commission “has referred the matter to parliament for the National Assembly to institute impeachment proceedings against Hlophe”.

Hlophe has yet to comment on his suspension.

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.