Judicial Conduct Tribunal probing gross misconduct allegations against Parker adjourned to April
On Monday, several judges of the same bench testified that Western Cape Judge Mushtak Parker told them that impeached judge president, John Hlophe, assaulted him in his chambers.
Western Cape Judge Mushtak Parker appeared before the Judicial Conduct Tribunal on 24 February 2025. Picture: @OCJ_RSA/X
JOHANNESBURG - The Judicial Conduct Tribunal investigating allegations of gross misconduct against suspended Western Cape Judge Mushtak Parker has adjourned until April.
On Monday, several judges of the same bench testified that Parker told them that impeached judge president, John Hlophe, assaulted him in his chambers.
According to testimony, Hlophe allegedly accused Parker of making sexual advances towards his then-wife, a judge in the same division, Gayaat Salie-Hlophe.
This account of events was also relayed to Western Cape High Court judge, Elizabeth Steyn.
Steyn told the commission that she approached Parker after the rumours of an assault were circulating in the court.
According to Steyn, Parker also told her of the trauma he had endured from the alleged assault.
"I felt very sorry for him. I could see that he suffered emotionally. He looked drained to me. He looked stressed to me. At one stage, as I was walking past his chambers and feeling sorry for him, I stopped and I said to him: 'I'm really sorry about what's going on in your life. It must be very difficult, but just tell me, is it really true? Were you actually really assaulted?' And he said: 'No, I was actually really assaulted.'"