Former President Jacob Zuma has applied to the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal a Johannesburg High Court decision dismissing his bid to remove Justice Sisi Khampepe as chairperson of the TRC Cases Inquiry. The ruling, delivered this week, also rejected a similar application by former President Thabo Mbeki, who supported Zuma's claims of bias.
In a continuation of his long-running challenge to the leadership of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Cases Inquiry, former President Jacob Zuma has written to the Constitutional Court seeking leave to appeal a Johannesburg High Court ruling. The High Court this week dismissed applications by Zuma and former President Thabo Mbeki to recuse retired Justice Sisi Khampepe, citing her past roles on the original TRC amnesty committee and as deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions as creating a 'reasonable apprehension of bias'.
Zuma initially filed for Khampepe's recusal late last year, arguing her prior positions with the TRC and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), along with alleged misconduct and personal animosity, made her unfit to chair the inquiry impartially. The application gained support from Mbeki and others, leading to oral arguments heard earlier this year. SABC News reported the High Court's rejection as a setback for the former presidents.
This appeal keeps the leadership dispute alive amid broader scrutiny of the TRC's handling of historical cases. Judges Matter’s Mbekezeli Benjamin commented on the dismissal in a recent SABC News broadcast.
