Freedom Under Law (FUL) welcomes the decision of Parliament’s portfolio committee on Justice and
Constitutional Development to refer the findings of gross misconduct against Judge President
Hlophe and Judge Motata to the full National Assembly to vote on their potential removal from
office.

The complaints against the two judges have dragged on interminably and reflect poorly on the
system for holding judges to account for misconduct. The portfolio committee is to be commended
for dealing with the matter promptly, and for not allowing its process to be waylaid by delaying
tactics.

The matters now proceed to the National Assembly, which must adopt a resolution calling for the
judges’ removal from office. This resolution must be supported by a vote of at least two-thirds of its
members. We urge the National Assembly to ensure that it, too, deals with the matters
expeditiously, and accord them the attention that matters of such gravity deserve.

END