Impeached judge John Hlophe is on Tuesday back in the Western Cape High Court to challenge being barred from sitting on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) proceedings.

Hlophe, formerly judge president of the Western Cape High Court, was the first judge to be impeached in democratic South Africa, after a finding of gross misconduct by the JSC.

However, months after his impeachment he entered parliament as an MK Party MP and was then designated by the National Assembly to sit on the JSC — the body that interviews and recommends candidates for judicial appointment.