Judicial watchdog may probe ‘ rude, vulgar ’ judge

THE Judicial Service Commission will consider a complaint against a high court judge accused of being undignified, rude and bringing the judiciary into disrepute.

Mpumalanga-based Society for the Protection of our Constitution says South Gauteng High Court judge Kathy Satchwell “accused officers of the court of being idiots” and “uttered the words f**ked up” earlier this year.

JSC spokesman CP Fourie said the society’s complaint was received but did not comply with procedural requirements. “It will be placed before the judicial conduct committee (of the JSC) for consideration once procedural requirements are fixed,” Fourie said.

In May, the Saturday Star reported that Satchwell called lawyers representing City Power “idiots”, “f**cked up”, referred to an attorney as “some person” who was “lazy, covering up, hiding things”.

Satchwell also accused the municipality of “using young incompetent black attorneys or little, grey, old white men sucking up to the black people”. She was hearing arguments in Numsa ’ s bid to force City Power to reveal details of the R800-million solar geyser deal in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act.

But the society believes that Satchwell ’ s uttering of “f**k up” was discourteous, undignified and will bring the judiciary into disrepute.

“The word ‘ sucking up’ is vulgar, rude and offensive,” reads an affidavit of the society’s secretary Mahomed Vawda sent to the JSC.

According to the affidavit, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) reprimanded Satchwell in August last year, warning her that making remarks against people in their absence may have far-reaching prejudicial consequences to them.

“Satchwell appears to have, with a sense of complete impunity, disregarded the caution directed at her by the SCA,” says the society. It wants her “investigated for gross misconduct that may result in her being sanctioned appropriately”.

The SCA’s Judge Azhar Cachalia found that Satchwell made sweeping findings against the professionals involved in the case without conducting a proper hearing and with no factual basis.

He said Satchwell overlooked a dictum that judges must be astute not to pontificate or be judgmental about persons who have not been called upon to defend themselves.

Satchwell was presiding over a matter brought by an accident victim from Soweto against the Road Accident Fund. She ordered that the lawyers in the case should not be paid because there was nothing to litigate.