Signed Agreement between Minister Surty and Justice Hlophe
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr ME Surty, and the Honourable Judge President of the Cape Provincial Division, Judge Hlophe, met on Wednesday to discuss the matters relating to the Judge President's special leave. They agreed and signed on the following:
- The parties have had a collegial meeting and are committed to resolving the issues in order to maintain the integrity of their respective offices.
- The Judge President is keen to resume and continue with his duties in an uncontroversial environment. In order to resolve what appears to be a genuine misunderstanding, a meeting was held between the parties.
- The Judge President is aware that he has placed the Minister's office and the Minister under extreme pressure.
- The Judge President expressed a view that he is hopeful to seek a way that will restore mutual respect for the respective responsibilities of the Minister and Judge President.
- In that regard, the Judge President is hopeful that the Minister will accept that the Judge President's decisions were not done to undermine the office of the Minister or his personal integrity and further that the Judge President is genuinely interested in lawfully cooperating with the Minister's office in order to ensure that the integrity of the judicial office is preserved.
- The Judge President expressed a view that to the extent that he may have contributed to the misunderstanding which is now in the public domain, he unreservedly tenders his sincerest apologies.
- The Minister has undertaken to apply his mind to the written and oral submissions of the Judge President and revert to the Judge President with regard to these submissions.
- The parties acknowledge that there are different interpretations to regulations.
Issued by: Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development 12 February 2009
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