The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services has adopted a recommendation to suspend the head of the regional courts in North West, Magistrate Seka Monaledi.
Committee Chairperson, Dr. Mathole Motshekga, said on Wednesday that the Committee had accepted the recommendation of the Ethics Committee of the Magistrates Commission, as well as the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, as it would be in the interest of the Judiciary.
"There is no basis on which this Committee can reject the recommendation unless we would like to dent and do serious damage to the image of the Judiciary. We interrogated the matter thoroughly in a previous meeting as we do not just rubber stamp recommendations. The question mark over the head of Magistrate Monaledi, whilst she continues to sit on the bench, does not bode well for the Judiciary."
Magistrate Monaledi, is among other things, accused of fraudulent travel expenses of nearly R1m.
Dr Motshekga explained that during a meeting of the Committee last week, Members of Parliament vigorously interacted with the Magistrates Commission on this matter. "This must at no stage be seen as bashing anyone. We are simply fulfilling our mandate of oversight. We were questioning the amount of female magistrates that were recommended for suspension and trying to establish what the shortcomings could be."
MPs then recommended that programmes should be put in place to support women magistrates to become successful in their profession.
The Committee heard on Wednesday that the Ethics Committee's investigation and recommendation to suspend was done with great sensitivity as Magistrate Monaledi was a member. The allegations were brought to the Ethics Committee and it investigates all matters brought to its attention.
