Bloemfontein - Free State Acting Judge President Cagney Musi wants to speak to the alleged female genital mutilator Peter Frederiksen's lawyer in court on March 27.
On Monday, Frederiksen appeared alone in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein for a pre-trial hearing.
Frederiksen told the judge that his lawyer Howard Woolf has assured him that he will be prepared and ready for his trial in May this year.
Musi told Frederiksen that Woolf has not informed the State that he was ready for the trial.
He told the Danish national that his lawyer had never appeared before him in court to indicate whether or not he was ready for the trial.
"The time has come that he must appear before us to hear his side in all fairness," said Musi.
According to the court record, Woolf is still Frederiksen's legal counsel and has not formally withdrawn.
The judge postponed the matter to March 27.
21 clitorises in freezer
In the meantime, his office, with the help of the State, will contact Woolf to inform him that he needs to be in Bloemfontein for Frederiksen's next appearance.
Frederiksen faces 59 charges, including assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, possession of unregistered medicine and unlicensed firearms, distribution and possession of child pornography, conspiracy to murder, and bigamy.
He was arrested on September 17, 2015, after 21 clitorises were found in a freezer in his home.
He is also being investigated for the murder of his late wife, 28-year-old Anna Matseliso Molise.
She was apparently shot four times outside her house in Maseru, Lesotho, on October 20, 2015.
In May 2016, the Hawks seized more than 1 600 firearms, explosives and hand grenades from Frederiksen's gun shop in Bloemfontein.
