Johannesburg – The Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) has resolved to uphold a complaint lodged by Judge President C Musi, of the Free State Division of the High Court, against Judge L J Lekale, which will now be investigated by a Judicial Conduct Tribunal.
The complaint by the judge president was prompted by the continuous failure of Judge Lekale to perform his judicial functions over a period of six years due to ill-health.
Judge President Musi lodged the complaint against Judge Lekale in terms of section 14 of the Judicial Service Commission Act 9 of 1994 (JSC Act).
The complaint was processed in terms of section 16(1)(a) of the JSC Act and was referred to the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC) for determination on whether it should recommend to the Commission (JSC) that a Judicial Conduct Tribunal (Tribunal) be established to investigate the complaint.
Following a meeting of the JCC on 29 April 2025, held in terms of section 16(2) of the JSC Act, the JCC recommended to the Commission that a Tribunal be established to investigate the complaint.
The Commission, excluding the members designated by the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, considered the recommendation from the JCC at a meeting on 10 October 2025.
“The Commission resolved to uphold the recommendation of the JCC that the complaint lodged by Judge President Musi against Judge Lekale be investigated by a Judicial Conduct Tribunal,” said a statement issued by the Secretariat of the JCC late on Tuesday, 28 October 2025.
