Justice Committee grants extension to judges facing impeachment

Parliament’s Justice Portfolio Committee has granted judges Mushtak Parker and Nana Makhubele more time to make submissions on why they should not be impeached.

The Judicial Service Committee has requested Parliament to consider removing them from the bench after finding them both guilty of gross misconduct in separate matters.

Both judges have written to the committee explaining why they’ve not been able to meet the original deadline.

In January, the Judicial Service Commission asked Parliament to consider the impeachment of Western Cape High Court judge Mushtak Parker after it found he had lied about a physical altercation with former Judge President John Hlophe, whom Parliament impeached in 2024.

Parker also faced allegations of financial impropriety related to the management of his legal firm at the time he was interviewed for the bench.

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On the other hand, the JSC also found North Gauteng High Court judge Nana Makhubele guilty of gross misconduct for not stepping down as interim chairperson of the Passenger Rail Agency when she was appointed as a judge in 2018, and for interfering in a legal matter related to the agency.

The committee was due to deliberate on the judges’ submissions on why they should not be removed on April 24.

But committee secretary Vhonani Ramaano explained to the committee that an incorrect email address had been used to send correspondence to Parker.

Meanwhile, Makhubele’s lawyer said she had been hospitalised and could not attend to the submission.

MPs have unanimously agreed to grant the judges another month to deposit their submissions.

"The issue relating to judges, we are granting the request for us to deal with the matter later," said Committee Chairperson, Xola Nqola/

Parliament has only ever impeached two judges, a move that requires a two-thirds majority vote in the National Assembly.