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Hlophe: No Zuma submission
Article By:
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:38
ANC president Jacob Zuma will not be making a formal submission to
the Constitutional Court over his concerns relating to the standoff
between the court and Cape Judge President John Hlophe.
Zuma's attorney Michael Hulley said on Friday he had elected not to
make any submissions to the Constitutional Court.
Hulley was expected to make a formal submission to the Concourt
after he had been asked to do so by the court following his 20 June
letter in which he said: "Disturbing allegations and
counter-allegations of the most serious import have been made, the
logical adjudication of which would invariably impact on the
credibility of either the complainant or those complained against with
all the necessary adverse inferences to be drawn."
At the end of May Hlophe was accused of attempting to influence the
Concourt's decision on search and seizure raids carried out by the
Scorpions on properties of Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturing
giant
Thint.
After Hulley's letter, Chief Justice Pius Langa asked the National
Prosecuting Authority and Zuma for their submissions on the Hlophe
standoff.
The Cape Argus reported last month that the NPA did not share Zuma's
concerns and quoted from an NPA's letter to the court: "(The NPA)
considers these matters need not and should not affect the
Constitutional Court's determination of the present applications or the
(Zuma) judgments that have been reserved."
Wrote state attorney K I Chowe: "We do not share the concerns
expressed on Mr Zuma's behalf."
Hulley could not be reached for comment on the reason behind his
decision not to make a formal submission.
The Argus newspaper reported on June 29 that "Hulley has indicated
that Zuma was still in the process of preparing his submissions, which
are due on 4 July."
The Pretoria News reported on Tuesday that "Zuma's attorney, Michael
Hulley, has confirmed he will make a submission
to the constitutional
court by Friday."
The Judicial Services Commission is expected to meet on Saturday to
deal with disciplinary matters, where the case against Hlophe is likely
to be discussed.
The Pretoria News reported that Saturday's meeting of the JSC would
likely determine whether it would "launch an impeachment inquiry
against him and whether it will ask President Thabo Mbeki to suspend
him pending finalisation of proceedings."
Hlophe has denied allegations that he tried to lobby Judge Bess
Nkabinde and Acting Judge Chris Jafta.