Ramaphosa shortlists four candidates for chief justice position

President Cyril Ramaphosa has shortlisted four candidates for the chief justice position.

According to the Presidency, the four names have been submitted to the Judicial Service Commission and leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly.

The candidates will be interviewed by the Judicial Service Commission.

These are the four candidates shortlisted by Ramaphosa:

• Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo
• Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga
• SCA President Mandisa Maya
• Gauteng JP Dunstan Mlambo

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In September, Ramaphosa invited public nominations for the position, in an attempt to “promote transparency and encourage public participation.”

The invitation came a month before the end of term of Mogoeng Mogoeng on 11 October 2021.

The four names were chosen from the initial eight, which included Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Western Cape Judge President John Hlophe, advocate Alan Nelson and Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi.

Mkhwebane and Mgoqi withdrew from the race last month.

“Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi subsequently tendered his withdrawal from the nomination process on 4 October 2021. Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane also withdrew from the process on 27 October 2021,” announced the Presidency at the time.

In terms of the Constitution, the Chief Justice is “the head of the judiciary and exercises responsibility for establishing and monitoring norms and standards for the exercise of the judicial functions of all courts”.

The Chief Justice is responsible for leading the creation of jurisprudence as they preside over proceedings of the Constitutional Court.

They are also responsible for setting and overseeing the maintenance of the standards for exercising the judicial functions of our courts and chairing the Judicial Services Commission.

“The Chief Justice occupies a vital position in our democratic constitutional order. It is therefore appropriate that all South Africans should have an opportunity to witness and participate in the selection of the next Chief Justice. We expect that this process will further deepen public confidence in the independence and integrity of the judiciary,” said Ramaphosa.