National Assembly should develop clear guidelines on who can serve on JSC, says DA

JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) said the National Assembly should develop clear guidelines on who can and cannot serve on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

Last week, the Western Cape High Court issued an interim order preventing uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party parliamentary leader, John Hlophe, from participating on the JSC.

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The application was brought by the DA and Freedom Under Law, who argue that Hlophe could not be part of a body that recommended his impeachment as Western Cape judge president.

DA national spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, said that the legitimacy of the JSC would be called into question if an individual like Hlophe was allowed to be a member.

"But we are also looking forward to part B of our applications, the outcomes there, because then Parliament will be forced to look into its responsibility in the designation.

"It is not fair and good to say all political parties get to field their own candidates. Parliament has a responsibility, as the vanguard of the nation, to scrutinise those lists accordingly."