Candidate bio
A regional magistrate in Port Elizabeth since 2007, Reddy has acted in the Eastern Cape High Court in both Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown. After serving her articles she worked as a regional court prosecutor for six years.
Reddy holds a BA and LLB from the University of Durban-Westville (now University of KwaZulu-Natal) and an LLM from Unisa.
Interview synopsis
Vijaylutchmee Reddy’s twelve minute interview raised serious questions about the criteria the Judicial Service Commission uses to short-list candidates. Again, it was patently clear, on paper, that the candidate required more acting experience in the high court to stand a chance of being recommended for appointment.
That the process did little to advance gender transformation of the judiciary, and that Reddy and Monakali must have felt humiliated by the interview process was palpable — this was no exercise in encouraging women to avail themselves for the high court. It was, rather, just a waste of tax-payers’ money that may have crushed the spirit of potential future judges.
