Anti-poaching organisation Saving The Wild has been granted leave for intervention in the disciplinary hearing proceedings into suspended KwaZulu-Natal Regional Court president Eric Nzimande.

Nzimande is accused of a variety of crimes ranging from selling acting magistrate’s posts to taking bribes in legal matters, as well as sexual harassment in the workplace.

News24 previously reported that Nzimande allegedly sought and accepted gratifications to the tune of R238 260 from attorneys he recommended for acting positions between 2012 and 2015.

He faces a total of 162 charges.

He was suspended with full pay in 2018 and has received more than R6-million from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development so far.  

On Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him.

Saving The Wild says it has evidence of a corrupt relationship between Nzimande and some magistrates whom the organisation alleges were soft on rhino poachers.

The disciplinary inquiry into Nzimande is being chaired by retired Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Jeremiah Shongwe at the Point Community Court in Durban.

Shongwe granted Saving The Wild's application for leave to intervene on Thursday after Nzimande’s lawyer, Ravindra Maniklall, said she was not opposed to it.

The organisation will be allowed to monitor proceedings and make submissions at the end of the inquiry into Nzimande.

Inquiry moved to March

Initially, the inquiry was meant to sit for 10 days between 22 January and 2 February this year, but it has now been moved to March.

Earlier this week, advocate Lisle Mboweni, one of two evidence leaders in the inquiry, told Shongwe that "critical documents" had gone missing.

She said the documents were needed to address issues raised in notes of minutes prepared by Maniklall on behalf of Nzimande.

Mboweni said they needed time to find the missing documents and consult further with witnesses otherwise the inquiry would be prejudiced.

The hearing is expected to recommence on 4 March.