John Hlophe, a former judge who was impeached five months ago, is now leading the official opposition in South Africa’s parliament.
Once a celebrated judge, Hlophe’s career ended in disgrace, but he’s made a surprising political comeback.
He is set to respond to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech about tackling South Africa’s problems like unemployment, crime, and poor infrastructure.
Hlophe’s rise can be linked to former President Jacob Zuma, who led his new party, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK), to third place in the recent election.
Since Zuma is barred from parliament due to a jail sentence, he chose Hlophe to lead the opposition.
Hlophe’s appointment has sparked controversy because of his past impeachment for trying to influence judges in a case involving Zuma.
Despite his impeachment, Hlophe joined politics and MK, where he feels he can continue fighting for justice and transformation.
Hlophe, known for advocating for the “Africanisation” of South Africa’s legal system, argues that African laws should have more influence.
His new political role includes being a member of parliament’s justice committee and MK’s representative on the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), the same body that found him guilty of misconduct.
Hlophe’s appointment to the JSC has been criticized by some, but the ANC supported it, showing his popularity despite his controversial past.
If he performs well in parliament, Hlophe could potentially lead MK in the future. This marks a significant shift from his early life as a child laborer to a key political figure in South Africa.
Credit to BBC for the information in this summary.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjqed5dp01zo