Limpopo Judge President George Phatudi has been found guilty of gross misconduct for violating the Constitution by refusing to recuse himself from a case involving a former client. The Judicial Conduct Committee, led by Justice Bess N Jafta, ruled that Phatudi’s prior involvement as an attorney created a reasonable concern about bias, breaching Articles 12 and 13 of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
Phatudi failed to recuse himself from a land dispute case despite previously representing one of the parties, raising concerns about impartiality. He claimed the parties agreed to proceed without a recusal application, but the committee found his actions created an appearance of partiality.
The committee’s decision is a significant development, as Phatudi is the head of the Limpopo Division of the High Court. The misconduct finding may lead to disciplinary action, potentially impacting his position as Judge President
