Gender is irrelevant in search for chief justice

How far we have to go as a country when it comes to treating women with respect and as equals was glaringly showcased in this week’s interview of Judge Mandisa Maya for the post of chief justice.

It was bad enough that Dali Mpofu tried to inject a bit of sexist innuendo by saying he and Maya had once “spent a night together”, by which he meant studying together. It drew huge guffaws from the men present.

Then Maya was asked – many times – why she, a woman, would be a suitable appointment. She responded that she was good “not simply because I am a woman. I’m just a good woman judge”.

Still, the gender-loaded questions continued, even when male questioners thought they were bending over backwards to support the struggle of women.

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It is ridiculous that a senior and accomplished jurist should be subjected to the patronising, silly interrogation she was. None of the male candidates was asked to speak, directly, or indirectly, to his gender.

The show was proof that, even when South Africa’s men have to acknowledge that women are treated as second-class citizens, they still don’t get it.

Look at the person in terms of experience, ability and integrity. Gender is irrelevant.