Mr Zuma is no ordinary litigant. He is the former President of the Republic, who remains a public figure and continues to wield significant political influence, while acting as an example to his supporters… He has a great deal of power to incite others to similarly defy court orders because his actions and any consequences, or lack thereof, are being closely observed by the public. If his conduct is met with impunity, he will do significant damage to the rule of law. As this Court noted in Mamabolo, “[n]o one familiar with our history can be unaware of the very special need to preserve the integrity of the rule of law”. Mr Zuma is subject to the laws of the Republic. No person enjoys exclusion or exemption from the sovereignty of our laws… It would be antithetical to the value of accountability if those who once held high office are not bound by the law.
JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
16 October 2013
The Judicial Service Commission has concluded interviews of Judges to fill vacancies in the Bench
During the period 07-10 October 2013, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) conducted interviews in Cape Town for the vacant Judges’ positions in the various divisions of the High Court. Following the conclusion of the interviews, the Chief Justice met with the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr J G Zuma on 15 October 2013 and presented the JSC’s recommendations as follows:
The JSC advertised one vacancy in the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court and three candidates were shortlisted and interviewed for one vacancy. The JSC has recommended that the President should appoint Adv I T Stretch SC (Ms) as a Judge of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court:
There was one vacancy advertised by the JSC and one candidate was shortlisted and interviewed. The JSC has recommended that the President should appoint Ms S Pather as a Judge of the Electoral Court:
The JSC advertised one vacancy in the Free State Division of the High Court and five candidates were shortlisted and interviewed for one vacancy. The JSC has recommended that the President should appoint Ms S Naidoo to the Free State Division of the High Court.
The JSC advertised a single vacancy of Deputy Judge President and one candidate was shortlisted and interviewed. The JSC decided to recommend that the President should appoint Judge P L Tlaletsi as Deputy Judge President of the Labour and Labour Appeal Courts.
The JSC advertised a single vacancy in the Labour Courts and two candidates were shortlisted. The JSC interviewed one candidate and decided not to recommend any candidate to the President.
The JSC advertised four vacancies in the Gauteng Division of the High Court. Six candidates were shortlisted and interviewed for these positions. The JSC has recommended that the President should appoint the following candidates as Judges of the Gauteng Division of the High Court.
Adv A J Bam SC
Adv M M Jansen SC (Ms)
Adv N J Van Niewenhuizen SC (Ms)
Ms S S Mphahlele
The JSC advertised one vacancy in the Western Cape Division of the High Court. Four candidates were shortlisted and interviewed for these vacant positions. The JSC has recommended that the President should appoint Ms N P Boqwana as a Judge of the Western Cape Division of the High Court.
Of all the nine recommended candidates, seven of them are women. This serves as a clear indication of the JSC’s commitment to the provisions of 174(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The JSC still wishes to encourage the legal fraternity and the broader South African public to encourage and nominate more women who are fit and proper for judicial appointment. It is only in as a result of such nominations that the JSC will be table to discharge its constitutional mandate of transforming the Judiciary to reflect the demographics of our population as enunciated in section 174(2) of the Constitution.
Issued by the JSC
Adv Ntsebeza SC
Contact details: 082 467 2490
Email:Ntsebeza@mweb.co.za
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