Judge Mandisa Maya tapped to be next Chief Justice

Deputy Chief Justice, Judge Mandisa Maya has been given the nod and nominated by President Cyril Ramaphosa as Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa.

Judge Maya currently serves as Deputy Chief Justice and has held the positions of Deputy President and President of the Supreme Court of Appeal.

The Current Chief Justice, Raymond Zondo, will serve his term until August after 12 years as a judge at the Constitutional Court.

JUDGE MAYA’S ILLUSTRIOUS JUDICIAL CAREER

“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,” said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya.

Ramaphosa said Judge Maya had an illustrious judicial career; she was appointed 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.

CHIEF JUSTICE ZONDO’S TERM COMES TO AN END

The position of Chief Justice will become vacant on 31 August 2024, when the term of office of Justice Raymond Zondo ends. The Chief Justice was appointed Justice of the Constitutional Court for a 12-year term starting 1 September 2012.

Justice Zondi holds a B.Juris from the University of Fort Hare, an LLB from the University of Natal, and an LLM from Georgetown University in the United States of America.

ZONDO WAS JUDGE OF THE COMPETITION APPEAL COURT

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 Chairperson of the Electoral Court.