No ConCourt candidates as Judicial Service Commission shortlists judges

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has compiled a shortlist of candidates to be interviewed for vacancies in various superior courts.

In May, the JSC called for nominations of interested people to fill these positions. The closing date was 17 June.

The shortlisted candidates will be interviewed from 3 to 12 October this year.

ALSO READ: JSC refrains from explaining why it shortlisted four ConCourt candidates

The JSC, however, did not shortlist any candidates for the one vacancy in the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

According to Section 174(4)(a) of the Constitution, “the JSC must prepare a list of nominees with three names more than the number of appointments to be made, and submit the list to the president”.

“The JSC considered four nominations received for the ConCourt vacancy. However, one of the candidates was not shortlisted. As result, the JSC could not proceed to shortlist three candidates for one vacancy,” the judicial commission said in a statement on Thursday.

These are the 10 candidates shortlisted to fill the five vacancies in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA):

• Judge Anna Maleshane Kgoele
• Judge Glenn Graham Goosen
• Judge Petrus Amolus Koen
• Judge Mandela Makaula
• Judge Pieter Andries Meyer
• Judge Daisy Sekao Molefe
• Judge Sulet Potterill
• Judge John Elrid Smith
• Judge Bashier Vally
• Judge Sharise Erica Weiner

Judge Norman Manoim is the only candidate for Judge President position in the Competition Appeal Court, and the JSC has also decided not to shortlist any candidates.

In the Electoral Court, there’s two vacancies for chairperson – which Judge Baratang Constance Mocumie and Judge Dumisani Zondi are the candidates – and judge member position, with Judge Mpho Catherine Mamosebo being the only candidates.

View the rest of the candidates below:

Judge Maya

This week, now former Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) Judge President Mandisa Maya was appointed as Deputy Chief Justice by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The appointment, which takes effect from 1 September 2022, came after the JSC concluded that Maya was suitable for the position.

Maya has been described as a trailblazer in the judiciary due to her impressive track record.

READ MORE: JSC interviews: Judge Mandisa Maya says the judiciary is not in crisis

The 58-year-old is regarded as “a woman of firsts” because she was one of the first women judges in the Eastern Cape High Court, the first black woman to be appointed to the SCA, the first woman deputy president of the court, and later, the first woman president of the SCA – a position she’s held since 2017.

Maya received three honorary doctorates and is currently the Chancellor of the University of Mpumalanga.