Tribunal hearing against Judge Maumela postponed following his hospitalisation
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela’s hospitalisation followed his appearance before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal on Monday over complaints of excessive delays in handing down a significant number of judgments.
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela (centre) is facing a Judicial Service Commission hearing into allegations of gross misconduct and gross incompetence. Picture from Judiciary website.
JOHANNESBURG - Former presiding judge in the Senzo Meyiwa trial, Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela, has been hospitalised.
Maumela appeared before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal on Monday over complaints of excessive delays in handing down a significant number of judgments.
He was suspended by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June but was expected to continue with the Meyiwa trial before he fell ill.
On Monday, Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo spent the day testifying before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal on Maumela’s performance and conduct.
He highlighted single-day court matters that Maumela took four years to deliver judgment on.
"I think the additional factor that one may also consider that could lead to a finding of gross misconduct is he just didn’t tell me why he was reserving these judgments for this long.
"I would write to him now and then, he would respond, he would give dates on when those judgments would be handed down and would not hand down those judgments."
The matter was set to proceed on Tuesday.
Judge Maumela’s lawyer, Advocate Ghandi Badela, addressed the tribunal on his absence.
"This morning [Tuesday], we learned that Judge Maumela was hospitalised. On that occasion, we approached the tribunal to seek this matter to be postponed to a date when he will be able to attend."
The tribunal hearing has been postponed to 27 May.