JSC hoping to finally fill ConCourt vacancy
Cape Town - The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will make another attempt to fill a Constitutional Court vacancy, after a previous interview session collapsed because one candidate withdrew amid questions over his business interests.
The vacancy is among 10 in the country's highest courts. The JSC opened it to candidate nominations on Tuesday.
The JSC has battled to fill the vacancy after Judge Johan Van Der Westhuizen left on January 31, 2016.
Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Ronnie Bosielo withdrew from the interviews after an awkward exchange during his public interview by the JSC's panel last October.
An affidavit had surfaced claiming he could benefit from a Northam Platinum mining trust and an ongoing chieftaincy dispute in his home region. He denied being a director of a black economic empowerment structure within the trust, or benefiting through his wife's involvement in the trust.
According to a report on the legal news website Judges Matter , he withdrew his candidacy after an awkward question and answer session.
Not enough nominations
This meant that the JSC was left with three candidates - Judge Jody Kollapen, Judge Steven Majiedt and Judge Malcolm Wallis. The Constitution says the list of recommendations sent to the president must contain three more names than the number of appointments to be made - so four names need to be put forward for the Constitutional Court position.
The interview process for that vacancy has since collapsed.
An earlier attempt at interviewing candidates in March 2016 to fill Van der Westhuizen's post also stalled because only three candidate nominations were received.
The positions that are open to nominations for this latest round of interviews are:
- Electoral Court (one position- must be a South African citizen);
- Labour Court (two);
- Constitutional Court (one);
- Eastern Cape High Court - Mthatha (one);
- Mpumalanga Division of the High Court (judge president post);
- North West Division of the High Court (two posts, including judge president post);
- Northern Cape Division of the High Court (two posts - one judge president, one deputy judge president).
February deadline
Nominations must be accompanied by the candidate's written consent, a detailed CV including qualifications, the completed standard questionnaire which is available on www.judiciary.org.za or the Constitutional Court website and at least three written judgments.
The JSC reminded potential candidates that interviews would be conducted in front of the public.
Nominations can also be sent to: The Secretariat of the JSC, Office of the Chief Justice, Private Bag X10, Marshalltown, Johannesburg 2017. They can also be dropped off at 188, 14th Road, Noordwyk, Midrand.
Nominations close on February 3 and interviews will be held between April 3-7 at the Noordwyk, Midrand, offices of the JSC.
