‘I’m not here simply because I’m a woman’: Judge Maya defends her standing for Chief Justice

Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) President Mandisa Maya has dismissed any suggestions she has an advantage over the other candidates shortlisted for the Chief Justice job because she is a woman.

“I’m not here simply because I’m a woman. I’m a judge, a worthy judge and I think I’ve proven myself over 22 years.

“It’s very important that I’m a woman of course, but I’m not good because I’m a woman. I’m just a good woman judge,” Maya said.

She was responding to a statement from Justice Minister Ronald Lamola during the second day of the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) public interviews in Johannesburg for the top judicial post.

“I got a sense from your presentation that you are standing on your own and on your credentials, and not on the basis that you are a woman,” Lamola said.

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Maya is among four senior judges who have been shortlisted by President Cyril Ramaphosa for the top judicial post.

The other candidates are Constitutional Court (ConCourt) Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo.

Should the JSC recommend Maya for the job, she would make history as South Africa’s first woman Chief Justice.

Gender diversity in judiciary

In her presentation to the JSC, Maya said despite the strides made in transforming the judiciary since the dawn of democracy, gender diversity still remained a major challenge.

“The transformation of the judiciary remains a big challenge. Yes, great strides have been achieved in terms of race, but gender diversity still remains a great challenge,” she said, adding the issue was upsetting.

Maya said there was a misconception in society that gender diversity in the judiciary and the legal profession was not an issue, but this was not the case.

‘Women hopelessly underrepresented’

“It is important to clarify that women are still hopelessly underrepresented in all spheres of the law and it remains critical to close that gap and have a substantial number of women all the way up to leadership,” she said.

She said she found it strange that in the lower courts, like the magistrates’ courts, gender diversity had been achieved.

“We must just find out what has been done there,” she said.

“That example of the magistracy tells us that with the right will and determination, it is possible to achieve meaningful gender equality in this institution and elsewhere.”

Judge Maya said she was encouraged that the judiciary had a programme in place to give more women in the legal field experience to become judges, starting in July this year.

She said this would be a “game-changer” for the judiciary.

“It’s never too late to do the right thing, I suppose.

“That programme is coming into action, but we must not stop doing the other things we have been doing in the meantime, agitating for women to be given quality work in the profession.”

Judge Maya’s credentials

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

The 58-year-old is regarded as “a woman of firsts” because she was one of the first women judges on 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.

The JSC interviews continue.

WATCH LIVE: JSC interviews Judge Mandisa Maya for Chief Justice post