President appoints Judges to various courts after April 2022 JSC interviews

Following the April 2022 interviews, President Ramaphosa appointed 8 judges to various courts across the country.

The April 2022 interviews were expected to be a crucial turning point for the Judicial Service Commission and how it conducts interviews. There was legitimate expectation that the JSC had considered the storm of criticism against it and would turn a corner. We discuss this in more detail in our Review of the April 2022 Interviews.

THE JUDGES APPOINTED

Constitutional Court

At its April 2022 sitting, the JSC interviewed 5 candidates to fill two vacancies on the Constitutional Court.
There were originally six candidates but Judge Matojane withdrew before interviews, leaving the bare minimum of 5 candidates for 2 vacancies.
In a surprising move, the JSC decided to send 4 names to the president and leave the one vacancy unfilled.

The president appointed Justice Owen Rogers from the Western Cape High Court with effect from 1 August 2022  (see here).

Eastern Cape High Court

The Eastern Cape High Court needed to fill 2 vacancies at Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) seat of the court.
The JSC interviewed 6 candidates and the president appointed the following:

* Ms Vuyokazi Pamella Noncembu with effect from 1 August 2022.
* Advocate Denzil Potgieter SC with effect from 30 July 2022.

Free State High Court

Three candidates were interviewed for a single vacancy at the Free State High Court and the president appointed the following:

* Advocate Ilse van Rhyn with effect from 1 June 2022.

KwaZulu-Natal High Court

There was one candidate for the vacant post of Judge President of KZN, which was acting Judge President Mjabuliseni Madondo. However, following a disastrous interview, the JSC decided to leave the vacancy unfilled.

There were three other vacancies in the Pietermaritzburg seat of the KZN High Court, and 7 candidates were in the running. However, in a strange twist, the JSC decided to leave two vacancies open and the president appointed only one candidate:

* Advocate Robin George Mossop SC with effect from 1 June 2022.

Limpopo High Court

Five candidates were interviewed for two vacancies at the Limpopo High Court, and the president appointed the following:

* Advocate Marissa Naude-Odendaal with effect from 1 June 2022
* Advocate Thogomelani Tshidada with effect from 1 June 2022

Click here to see the full list of new judges appointed.