October 2025 JSC Interviews: Filling the Apex bench and beyond

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) sits in Sandton for the next two weeks for another marathon round of judicial interviews, the final of 2025, to interview 38 candidates for 23 judicial vacancies across nine superior courts across South Africa, including the long-awaited two seats on the Constitutional Court.

After a turbulent year in which judicial independence, appointments, and court capacity have remained front-page issues, these interviews come at a crucial time for South Africa’s judiciary. The choices made this month will shape the leadership, diversity, and jurisprudence of the courts for years to come.

Judicial capacity

This round also comes amid ongoing concerns about judicial capacity and institutional stability — from delayed judgments and unfilled posts at the apex courts to systemic administrative challenges. The JSC faces a crucial test of both judgment and credibility in ensuring that South Africa’s courts can continue to deliver justice efficiently, fairly, and independently.

Two Vacancies at the Constitutional Court

The spotlight, as always, falls on the Constitutional Court, where seven candidates were set to vie for two seats after the JSC was forced to re-advertise the posts in July 2025 due to an earlier lack of applicants.

Candidates being interviewed for the Constitutional Court on 7 October include some of South Africa’s most experienced and widely respected jurists. Among the frontrunners is Judge Nambitha Dambuza-Mayosi of the Supreme Court of Appeal, whose long tenure on the appellate bench and strong record in administrative and commercial law make her a serious contender, despite questions around a few delayed judgments. Judge Kate Savage is currently Vice-President of the United Nations Appeals Tribunal, and brings deep experience in constitutional and labour law as well as international stature that could strengthen the Court’s global standing. Also in the mix is Advocate Alan Dodson SC, a veteran of human rights and land reform litigation and a former Land Claims Court judge, whose fifth attempt for a seat at the apex court may finally see his blend of intellectual depth and public service recognised. Together, these candidates represent both continuity and renewal for a Constitutional Court seeking to strengthen its bench and restore its full complement of permanent judges.

Beyond filling two long-vacant seats, these appointments are about restoring depth and longevity to the Court. The Constitutional Court has seen considerable turnover in recent years, with many of its senior justices retiring. This potentially creates gaps in institutional memory and continuity that affect not only the Court’s efficiency but also the development of consistent constitutional jurisprudence.

The JSC will therefore be looking for candidates who can bring both intellectual leadership and long-term stability, ensuring that the Constitutional Court and the broader superior courts preserve the legacy of experience and mentorship essential for maintaining the coherence and authority of South Africa’s constitutional democracy.

The Constitutional Court has operated below capacity for several years, and its ability to deliver timely, authoritative judgments has been under strain. The JSC’s decision this week will therefore not only fill seats but also help determine the Court’s intellectual direction and public legitimacy going into the next decade. 

Chief Justice Mandisa Maya

Although Chief Justice Mandisa Maya has chaired several JSC sessions before, both while serving as Deputy Chief Justice and in former Chief Justice Zondo’s absence, this October round marks her first full set of interviews as Chief Justice in her own right, noting that April 2025 was only a smaller sitting. She will lead a reshaped JSC that now includes several new members of Parliament from across the political spectrum. Observers expect her to steer the proceedings with the same firm yet measured hand that earned her widespread respect during earlier sittings. Her leadership in this round will set the tone for how the reconstituted JSC navigates one of its busiest and most consequential sessions in recent years.

The Supreme Court of Appeal: Continuity and Renewal

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), often described as the engine room of South Africa’s appellate system, has one vacancy to fill this October. As the court responsible for the vast majority of the country’s appeals, its decisions shape the interpretation of law across every division. With several recent retirements and an increasing caseload, filling this post is critical to maintaining the SCA’s efficiency, jurisprudential consistency, and credibility as a key pillar of the justice system.

Candidates for the post include Judge Gerald Bloem of the Eastern Cape, respected for his clear reasoning and sound administrative law judgments; Judge Mokgere Masipa of KwaZulu-Natal, a rising star whose recent appellate experience and expertise in labour law mark her as a strong candidate; Judge Pule Molitsoane of the Free State, known for his measured, practical approach and commitment to judicial training; Judge Thandi Norman, a former evidence leader at the State Capture Commission whose prosecutorial background adds depth to her judicial insight; Judge Bashier Vally of Gauteng, a seasoned constitutionalist whose bold rulings, from the Zuma reshuffle case to the Nkala v Gold Mining Company silicosis class action, exemplify judicial independence; and Judge Leonie Windell, one of the few former magistrates on the High Court bench, recognised for her meticulous handling of complex class actions and her dedication to access to justice.

With the SCA currently stretched thin, this appointment will be closely watched. The JSC’s choice will not only influence the pace and quality of appellate work but also signal how seriously it takes the task of restoring strength and stability to one of South Africa’s most important courts.

The SCA remains central to South Africa’s legal system, hearing the majority of appeals from across the country and ensuring consistency in how the law is applied. After several retirements and a steadily growing caseload, filling this post is critical to maintaining the SCA’s efficiency, jurisprudential consistency, and credibility as a key pillar of the justice system.

High Court Appointments: From Durban to Polokwane

Beyond the apex courts, the JSC’s October agenda underscores a broader judicial renewal — addressing pressing vacancies in provincial divisions where case backlogs and administrative pressures remain severe.

• KwaZulu-Natal High Court (5 vacancies) – On 9 October, candidates, including Advocate M.B. Pitman and Judge N.T.Y. Siwendu, will vie to strengthen one of the country’s busiest divisions.

• Mpumalanga High Court (2 vacancies) – 10 October will see advocates and practitioners from Middelburg in contention to fill these posts.
• Gauteng High Court (8 vacancies) – Spread over two days (14–15 October), this round is likely to attract significant interest given Gauteng’s persistent backlog and need for additional judicial capacity.
• Limpopo and Free State High Courts – The JSC will conclude proceedings with interviews for one vacancy in each province before deliberating on outstanding judicial conduct matters on 16 October.

The interviews for the Eastern Cape (Deputy Judge President and three judges) were initially scheduled for 13 October. However, according to a statement issued by the JSC on 3 October 2025, they have now been postponed until April 2026 due to shortlisting issues.

The Broader Picture: Credibility and Capacity

These October interviews are more than a staffing exercise; they represent a moment of accountability for the JSC and the judiciary as a whole. With both the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal operating below full strength for much of the past decade, the question is whether this round will finally bring stability, transformation, and renewed confidence to the bench.

This is also the first full October sitting under Chief Justice Maya’s leadership, taking place amid a reshaped JSC that includes several new MPs following the 2024 elections. How this new Commission conducts itself, and the quality of its recommendations, will be closely watched by the public and legal observers alike.

The stakes are high: the judiciary faces a growing workload, vacancies across key divisions, and continuing pressure to demonstrate its independence in an increasingly contested political climate. The JSC’s decisions this October will shape not just who serves on the bench, but how South Africa’s courts embody the constitutional promise of fairness, transformation, and accountability.

As always, Judges Matter will be watching closely and providing updates throughout the interviews.

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