A nominations panel has put forward eight candidates (listed in alphabetical order):
- Judge President John Hlophe
- Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga
- Justice Mandisa Maya
- Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi
- Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane
- Judge President Dunstan Mlambo
- Advocate Alan Nelson, SC
- Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo
The candidates were chosen after President Cyril Ramaphosa opened the nomination of South Africa’s next chief justice to the public, in order to promote transparency and enable public participation.
It was reported that the Presidency announced in mid-September that anyone would be able to nominate a candidate.
Nominations were supposed to be accompanied by an endorsement and support of at least one professional body of legal practitioners or NGOs working in the field of human rights or other legal areas.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa wishes to thank members of the public for responding to his invitation to participate in the process of nominating the next chief justice of the Republic of South Africa,” the Presidency said in a statement on Monday.
According to the Presidency, the public made 148 submissions, which consisted of 25 names.
“Some of these individuals featured in more than one submission. Of the 25 names, only eight nominations met the criteria as set out in the call by the president,” the Presidency said.
All submission were “assessed and scrutinised” by the nominations panel, chaired by Judge Navanethem Pillay, the Presidency added.
South Africans are invited to submit any objections to the nominees by Friday, 15 October 2021.
Image (Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane vying for the chief justice position. Her nomination has raised some serious eye-brows).
