Goliath vs Hlophe: Zondo satisfied complaints could lead to gross misconduct finding
12 February 2020
Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has referred the two complaints lodged against each other by Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe and his deputy Patricia Goliath to the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC).
The JCC will consider whether it should recommend to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that the complaints be investigated and reported on by a Tribunal, the Secretariat of the JCC said in a statement on Wednesday.
"After considering both Deputy Judge-President Goliath's complaint against Judge-President Hlophe and Judge-President Hlophe's complaint against Deputy Judge-President Goliath, the Deputy Chief Justice was satisfied in terms of Section 16(1) of the Judicial Service Commission Act... that each one of the two complaints, if established, would be likely to lead to a finding by the Judicial Service Commission that the respondent judge in each complaint is guilty of gross misconduct," the statement said.
The committee will meet at the Constitutional Court on February 21 to consider this.