In March-April 2008, Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe approached Constitutional Court Justices Bess Nkabinde and Chris Jafta separately, attempting to influence them to rule in favour of Jacob Zuma in the Zuma/Thint corruption case. Both justices reported the approach to their colleagues.
On 6 June 2008, all 11 remaining Constitutional Court justices (led by Chief Justice Pius Langa and Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke) filed an unprecedented collective complaint with the Judicial Service Commission — the first time the Constitutional Court had collectively filed a complaint against a judge.
Hlophe denied the allegations and launched a systematic legal campaign to delay proceedings. He challenged the JSC's jurisdiction, the composition of panels, the constitutionality of the process, and sought multiple interlocutory orders. These tactics delayed the matter by over a decade.
In April 2021, the JSC Judicial Conduct Tribunal (chaired by Judge Joop Labuschagne) found Hlophe guilty of gross misconduct. In August 2022, the full JSC adopted the finding by a vote of 13-9 (with some ANC-aligned members voting against).
On 7 February 2024, the National Assembly voted 247-39 (with 4 abstentions) to remove Hlophe — exceeding the required two-thirds majority. He became the first judge impeached in democratic South Africa.
Shortly after his removal, Hlophe joined Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. The MK Party subsequently nominated Hlophe to serve on the very JSC that had found him guilty of gross misconduct — a deeply controversial move.
Hlophe continued to receive his full judicial salary (approximately R2.5-2.8M per annum) throughout the 16-year period from complaint to removal, costing taxpayers approximately R40-45 million while under serious misconduct allegations.