Industrial Court judges also wrongly paid housing allowances
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday March 23, 2016 14:26
On Monday, Parliament heard that one judge was wrongly paid a housing allowance for 15 months, while another received the allowance for 12 months and another for one month. Labour and Home Affairs minister, Edwin Batshu told legislators that at present, none of the unprocedural allowances was outstanding as affected judges had paid them back in full.
“The allowances were factored into their salaries from the time each of the said judges were not provided with official residence,” Batshu said in response to a question from Selebi-Phikwe West MP, Dithapelo Keorapetse.
“When they each eventually got accommodated in official residences, there was (A) delay in the processing of stoppage of payment of the allowances.”
According to Batshu, in respect of the judge who was unduly paid housing allowance for a period of 15 months, the money was recovered through a paying in voucher as a once off cash payment. The judge who was unduly paid for a period of 12 months repaid the funds through monthly deductions over a period of seven months.
The judge who was unduly paid for one month refunded the allowance in cash.
Four High Court judges are currently suspended over receipt of undue housing allowances.
However, in their case, the Chief Justice allegedly roped in the police to conduct investigations.
The resultant uproar, which included a petition by judges against the Chief Justice, has rocked the judiciary and seen suits and counter suits flying through the higher courts.