Director-General Doctor Mashabane was suspended for delaying the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The Labour Court in Johannesburg has dismissed an urgent application by the Director-General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to stop ongoing disciplinary proceedings against him, ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to intervene. Doctor Mashabane, who has served in the public service for more than 20 years, was appointed Director-General in March 2021 on a five-year contract set to expire at the end of February 2026- the same month he is expected to be answering to the charges against him.
– the same month he is expected to be answering to the charges against him. The hearing is expected to be heard on February 2, 3, 4, 11, 12, and 13. The disciplinary proceedings stem from delays in establishing two presidential commissions of inquiry, one chaired by Justice Khampepe, and the other by Justice Madlanga, which was tasked with probing allegations of political interference in the criminal justice system.
Mashabane faces disciplinary action alongsidehis deputy, Jabu Hlatshwayo. Following the delays, the President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised disciplinary action against Mashabane in August 2025 anddelegated oversight of the process to the Minister of Justice, Thembi Kubayi. Mashabane was placed on precautionary suspension shortly thereafter.
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After he raised concerns about bias and potential conflicts of interest, the President withdrew the delegation from Kubayi and reassigned responsibility for the disciplinary process to the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy. Mashabane argued that the change in delegation required the disciplinary process to start afresh and that the continued involvement of the chairperson and legal initiators originally appointed under the first delegation rendered the proceedings unlawful.He also challenged the extension of his suspensionby the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing, Professor Taki Madima
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