The Eastern Cape High Court (East London) was meant to hear the rape and murder case of Sakhumzi Mhlamvana, a matter set down for the whole week before Judge Lusindiso Pakade (68). But The Herald reports after waiting for hours yesterday for the judge to arrive, officials were finally told that he had resigned.

They were then forced to wait until Acting Judge President Dawid van Zyl arrived and postponed the matter until 12 September. Discussing the confusion yesterday, Pakade said he had not resigned, but had, in fact, retired after 15 years on the Bench. ‘My last day of duty was 31 August. All the top people knew, the JP and CJ both knew,’ Pakade said. He added he only had one partly-heard matter which he would finish and one reserved judgment to deliver.

National Association of Democratic Lawyers (Nadel) president and co-chair of the Law Society of SA Mvuzo Notyesi yesterday expressed his disappointment at Pakade’s ‘sudden’ departure. ‘I am not saying he did not tell the judiciary, but he did not give members of the profession any notice. He has been insensitive to the members of the public he was appointed to serve. He has failed society,’ Notyesi said.

Full report in The Herald (subscription needed)