South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has shortlisted four candidates for consideration for the position of Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court.
Their names have been sent to the Judicial Service Commission and political party leaders in Parliament for their final selection and confirmation, the presidency said on Thursday.
One nominee being considered for the Chief Justice position is Deputy Chief Justice Justice Raymond Mnyamezeli Mlungisi Zondo, who is chairing the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture which winds up its work in December this year, the high office said.
Three other candidates are Judge of the Constitutional Court, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga; president of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Judge Mandisa Maya, and Judge President of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Justice Dunston Mlambo, the high office said.
The position of Chief Justice, the highest in the country’s judiciary, became vacant when former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng retired as the head of the apex court in October after a decade.
As a departure from the norm, the president appointed a nomination panel for the position, and invited the public to send names of a candidate they most preferred.
“In September 2021, President Ramaphosa invited public nominations for the position of Chief Justice to be sent to his office.
“This was in anticipation of the discharge from active service of former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng on 11thOctober 2021 after ten years of work,” the presidency said in a statement.
Ramaphosa chose the four candidates after considering recommendations made in a report of the nomination panel which was handed to him at the end of October.
The high office did not disclose when the results of the interviews would be made available to the public.
NM/as/APA