Zuma and Mbeki Lose Constitutional Court Bid to Remove Justice Sisi Khampepe From TRC Cases Inquiry
- The Constitutional Court delivered its ruling on 31 August 2026 on a challenge brought by Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki
- The two former State Presidents sought to have Justice Sisi Khampepe recused from chairing the TRC cases inquiry
- Zuma and Mbeki have continuously sought to have Justice Khampepe removed as the chairperson over alleged biases
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Source: UGC
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG - The Constitutional Court has dismissed an attempt by former presidents Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki to remove Justice Sisi Khampepe from chairing the TRC Cases Inquiry.
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry at the centre of the dispute was established to investigate allegations that concerted efforts were made to obstruct the prosecution of cases referred to the National Prosecuting Authority by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The TRC investigated gross human rights violations committed by both pro- and anti-apartheid forces between 1960 and 1994.
Justice Leona Theron delivered the ruling on Zuma and Mbeki's application on 31 August 2026.
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What did the Constitutional Court order?
The court set aside the High Court's original order, replacing it with a ruling that dismissed a preliminary legal objection raised by the first to fifth respondents under Section 47.1 of the Superior Courts Act 10 of 2013.
Critically, the court also dismissed the application to review a ruling made on 30 January 2026 by Justice Khampepe, in which she had refused to recuse herself from the commission.
Zuma and Mbeki had spent several months pursuing the recusal of Justice Khampepe as chairperson of the commission, over alleged biases. With that avenue now closed by the country's highest court, the inquiry is free to proceed, and both former heads of State may yet be called upon to give testimony before it.
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Source: Briefly News
