5. On 13 January 2010 the Ethics Committee of the Magistrates Commission requested Mr Jacobs to show cause why the Commission should not recommend that he be provisionally suspended from duty pending an investigation into his fitness to hold the office of Magistrate. At its meeting held on 25 February 2010 the Commission considered Mr Jacobs' response and recommended that Mr Jacobs be provisionally suspended from office in terms of section 13(3)(a) of the Magistrates Act, 1993.