President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Justices Tshifhiwa Maumela and Nomonde Mngqibisa-Thusi on suspension following allegations of misconduct by excessively delaying the handing down of a significant number of judgments.

The Judicial Service Commission took a decision during a meeting in April to advise the President to suspend the judges pending a tribunal process as laid out in the Judicial Service Commission Act.

The President informed Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and the suspended justices of his decision in accordance with the Constitution, which empowers him to suspend a judge on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

In January, the JSC accepted a recommendation by the Judicial Conduct Committee that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that the judges were guilty of misconduct in delaying the handing down of a significant number of judgments.

Both judges are suspended subject to the condition that they finalise their part-heard matters.