Makhubele's been treated unfairly, says legal team
A Judicial Conduct Tribunal headed up by retired KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Achmat Jappie is currently probing allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Makhubele by lobby group, Unite Behind.
Judge Tintswalo Makhubele appeared before a Judicial Conduct Tribunal on 23 July 2024. Picture: @OCJ_RSA/X
JOHANNESBURG - Disgraced Judge Tintswalo Makhubele’s legal team says she's been unfairly treated.
A Judicial Conduct Tribunal headed up by retired KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Achmat Jappie is currently probing allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Makhubele by lobby group, Unite Behind.
Makhubele’s advocate, Thabani Masuku, is presenting his closing arguments on Tuesday and has highlighted the challenges she faced in securing state-funded legal representation for the proceedings.
"Judge Makhubele has not been treated fairly; I must say that very boldly. She has not been treated fairly. One of the things she has not been treated fairly on is the fact that she has had to beg for the government to fund her legal representation. I’m the second or third legal representative she’s asked for. She’s had to change legal representation mid-stream."
Masuku has suggested that Makhubele’s dignity was impacted.
"Judge Makhubele has not been treated fairly by the state, which has an obligation to ensure that when she’s facing this kind of tribunal she’s represented consistently by counsel, by legal representatives, so that she presents the best case that can protect the office she holds. In the middle of nowhere, she in fact had to start representing herself. That can’t give a judge dignity."