Judge President John Hlophe has disregarded various opinions of his conduct, the most searing handed down by Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Visvanathan Ponnan in 2017.
It will come as no surprise then that Hlophe remains optimistic while the JSC considers damning findings of gross misconduct that could see the Judge President impeached.
It was Hlophe’s conflict of interest in a matter involving his own lawyer, Barnabas Xulu, and Xulu’s client, businessman Matthews Mulaudzi, that Ponnan said had led to the Judge President’s inability to be open-minded, impartial or fair on hearing the matter.
Hlophe has, over the years, publicly insulted Chief Justices, fellow judges and strewn counter-complaints in retaliation for those lodged by fellow judges against him.
13 May 2021 - Lee-Anne Bruce
CALS, Black Sash and Freedom Under Law note that former Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini has paid the costs awarded against her personally
The Black Sash Trust, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies and Freedom Under Law note that Bathabile Dlamini has paid the costs awarded against her personally by the Constitutional Court for her role in the social grants crisis almost three years ago. The former Minister of Social Development was ordered to pay a portion of the costs of litigation brought by civil society organisations in an effort to protect the social grants system.
Bathabile Dlamini pays R650k personal cost order to NGOs in social grant case 13 May 2021 - 08:49 By Naledi Shange Former minister Bathabile Dlamini has paid the costs awarded against her in her personal capacity by the Constitutional Court. File image. Image: Thapelo Morebudi/Sunday Times
Former social development minister Bathabile Dlamini has paid a personal cost order against her to the NGOs that brought a successful court action against her.
This was disclosed on Thursday by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), which represented the Black Sash.
The order was made by the Constitutional Court for her role in the social grants crisis almost three years ago.
In another victory for civil society and accountability, former Minister of Social Development, head of the ANC Women’s League and currently MP, Bathabile Dlamini, has finally coughed up R650,000 in legal costs owed due to her “reckless and grossly negligent” conduct as a Minister.
After three years of giving the Black Sash Trust, represented by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (Cals) and Freedom Under Law (FUL), the runaround Cals announced on 13 May that “we have been gratified to note that in the past two weeks the order has now been complied with and Ms Dlamini has paid our costs”.