Western Cape High Court judge Salie-Hlophe to face inquiry after complaint lodged
9 March 2020
Western Cape High Court Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe is to face an inquiry after a senior colleague lodged a complaint against her and her husband, the judge president in that division, according to the secretariat of the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC).
The decision by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo means that Supreme Court of Appeal judge, Nambitha Dambuza, who is also a member of the JCC, will conduct the inquiry to determine the merits of the complaint which Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath lodged against them.
Zondo was satisfied that, in terms of Section 17(1) of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Act 9, in the event of a valid complaint being established, the appropriate remedial action against Salie-Hlophe would be one or more of the remedial actions listed in Section 17(8) of the JSC Act.
"That means it will be a lesser sanction than impeachment. Such remedial action includes an apology to the complainant, a reprimand, a written warning, or appropriate counselling."