South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has nominated Mandisa Muriel Lindelwa Maya as the country’s first female chief Justice.
If her appointment is confirmed, Maya will take over from Raymond Zondo when his term at the Constitutional Court ends on Aug. 31, according to a statement from the Presidency.
The Chief Justice was appointed as a Justice of the Constitutional Court for a 12-year term with effect from 1 September 2012. The Chief Justice will therefore complete his term as a Justice of the Constitutional Court with effect from 31 August 2024.
President Ramaphosa has invited the leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly to make submissions on the suitability or otherwise of Deputy Chief Justice Maya to hold the office of Chief Justice.
The President has drawn the attention of leaders of political parties to Judge Maya’s illustrious judicial career, in which she was first appointed as a Judge of the Eastern Cape Division of the High Court in 2000.
She attained B.Proc (University of Transkei); LLB (University of Natal); and LLM (Duke University, North Carolina, United States of America) degrees as well as three LLD degrees (Honoraris) from the Universities of Fort Hare, Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela respectively.
President Ramaphosa has also, in terms of Section 174(3) of the Constitution, consulted the Judicial Service Commission, chaired by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, process on the President’s nomination of Justice Dumisani Hamilton Zondi as Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Justice Zondi currently serves as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
The term of office of the Current Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Justice Xola Petse, will come to an end on 10 July 2024 when he attains the age of 70 and will be automatically discharged from office.
Justice Zondi holds a B.Juris from the University of Fort Hare, an LLB from the University of Natal, as well as an LLM from Georgetown University in the United States of America.
Following a successful career in practice, Justice Zondi was appointed to the Western Cape Bench in 2007. In 2011, he became a Judge of the Competition Appeal Court. Justice Zondi was elevated to the Supreme Court of Appeal in June 2014. In 2022, he was appointed as a Chairperson of the Electoral Court.
President Ramaphosa has invited the Judicial Service Commission to make submissions on Justice Zondi’s suitability for the position for which he has been nominated.
