The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has published a list of seven candidates to be interviewed for the position of judge president of the Western Cape High Court.
The position was previously held by an impeached judge, Dr John Hlophe. The JSC announced the names of the interview candidates on Monday.
The vacancy was created after the National Assembly voted in favour of a motion to impeach Hlophe in February.
Serious misconduct
The JSC found Hlophe guilty of serious misconduct in 2022.
He was accused of influencing two Constitutional Court judges in 2008 to rule in favour of former president Jacob Zuma in a matter in which he was one of the litigants.
Hlophe is now the parliamentary leader of the MK Party in the National Assembly, which is led by Zuma. He also represents the MK Party on the JSC.
His appointment to the JSC has raised a few eyebrows, as the DA and lobby groups AfriForum and Freedom Under Law have approached the courts to set aside Hlophe’s designation to the JSC.
The shortlisted candidates are Judge Patricia Lynette Goliath, Judge Andrẻ le Grange, Judge Nolwazi Penelope Mabindla-Boqwana, Judge Babalwa Pearl Mantame, Judge Denzel Owen Potgieter, Judge Hayley Maud Slingers, and Judge Mafeleu Thulare.
Interviews are to be held in October
The JSC also released a list of candidates that will be interviewed to fill various vacancies in the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, Land Court, Labour Court, and Labour Appeal Court, as well as various divisions of the high court.
This JSC will interview the shortlisted candidates between October 7 and October 15.
The commission said the shortlisted candidates will be notified of the venue, date, and time of the interviews in due course.Â
It will then make recommendations to President Cyril Ramaphosa on who to appoint.
