Julius Malema, the leader of the EFF, stated that 11 MPs did not have a legitimate excuse for missing Wednesday’s vote in parliament to remove Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe, who was suspended at the time.
In the impeachment vote, parliament removed Hlophe from his top judicial position.
Malema has requested that Marshall Dlamini, secretary-general of the EFF, speak with the 11 MPs regarding their absence and find a solution to the issue within a day.
Malema wants answers
“It has come to my attention that 11 @EFFSouthAfrica members of parliament did not attend Wednesday’s parliamentary seating without valid reasons,” Malema wrote on his X account on Thursday night.
“We have asked the SG [secretary-general] to correspond with them, and we should be getting some way forward in the next 24 hours.”
Fifteen EFF MPs were absent from the National Assembly’s impeachment vote for Hlophe and retired judge Nkola Motata.
They are: treasurer-general Omphilwe Maotwe; legendary Afro-Pop musician Ringo Madlingozi; musician and member of a kwaito group Trompies Eugene Mthethwa; former Fees Must Fall activist Naledi Chirwa; Khanya Ceza; Ntokozo Fortunate Hlonyana; Mandisa Makesini; Babalwa Mathulelwa; Sam Matiase; Constance Nonhlanhla Mkhonto; Mothusi Kenneth Montwedi; Nolutando Nolutshungu; Yazini Tetyana; Lorato Florence Tito; and Mathapelo Siwisa.
The identities of the 11 MPs who did not show up for the impeachment vote due to not having valid reasons remain unknown.
The recommendation of the parliament’s portfolio committee on justice and correctional services to remove Hlophe and Motata from their positions as judges was discussed and put to a vote by members of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Majority vote for judges’ impeachment
A total of 27 MPs voted against Hlophe’s removal from office, while 305 members voted in favour of the impeachment.
Two hundred and ninety-six members voted in favour of Motata’s removal from office; one member abstained, and 13 members did not cast their votes.
Hlophe was impeached after the Judicial Service Commission determined that he had attempted to persuade two Constitutional Court justices to break their oaths of office.
This is connected to an earlier case from 2008 in which Hlophe was charged with trying to sway the court’s decision in the Thint/Zuma cases.
The cases involved former president Jacob Zuma.
Following his 2009 conviction for driving under the influence, retired judge Motata was found guilty of gross misconduct.
After Hlophe’s impeachment, Malema took to X.com and said: “Don’t be scared, my brother; history will absolve you.
Malema rallies behind Hlophe
“We should meet soon and plot the way forward, but my immediate proposal is that you form something like Freedom Under Law or the Hellen Suzman Foundation and continue to mark these racists.
“We can assure you that you will never go to bed hungry, and this is inspired by the battle cry: “an injury to one, is an injury to all.
“We love you, JP Hlophe; freedom is coming on May 29 2024.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced May 29 as the date of South Africa’s general elections.
