Chief Justice shortlisting panel presents report to President

The Panel for the evaluation of public nominations of the next Chief Justice, chaired by Judge Navanethem (Navi) Pillay, submitted its report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday, 28 October 2021.

On 16 September 2021, the President initiated an unprecedented process of choosing the next Chief Justice of South Africa by inviting public nominations to fill the position of Chief Justice of South Africa.

From the public nominations, the following eight nominees fulfilled the advertised requirements for nomination:
1. Judge President John Hlophe
2. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga
3. President of the Supreme Court of Appeal Mandisa Maya
4. Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi
5. Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane
6. Judge President Dunstan Mlambo
7. Advocate Alan Nelson, SC
8. Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo

Dr Wallace Amos Mgoqi subsequently tendered his withdrawal from the nomination process on 04 October 2021. Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane also withdrew from the process on 27 October 2021.

The President is giving consideration to the recommendations of the Panel.

After giving consideration to the recommendations of the panel the President will decide which candidate(s) from the shortlist presented to him by the Panel to refer to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly for consultation in line with Section 174(3) of the Constitution.

The content of the report itself will not be made public as the candidates the President will select from the shortlist still need to go through a process of interviews by the Judicial Service Commission and consultation with the leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly.

Source: Government of South Africa