PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has nominated deputy chief justice, Judge Mandisa Maya as the next chief justice of South Africa.
The Presidency said in terms of Section 174(3) of the Constitution, Ramaphosa embarked on a process of consultation with the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament and the Judicial Service Commission to convey his nomination of Maya.
Maya has held the positions of deputy president and president of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya said the position of chief justice will become vacant on 31 August when the term of office of Justice Raymond Zondo comes to an end.
Zondo was appointed as justice of the Constitutional Court for a 12-year term with effect from 1 September 2012.
ALSO READ | IYOH: Kasi school 'owes' mashonisa!
“The chief justice will therefore complete his term as a justice of the Constitutional Court with effect from 31 August. 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,” he said.
Magwenya said the president has drawn the attention of political party leaders to 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.
“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,” he said.
Zondi currently serves as a justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Magwenya said 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.
