Zille: It’s time we remove politicians from the Judicial Service Commission

The recommendation to appoint judge Mandisa Maya as chief justice has seen some politicians up in arms. 

Maya was recommended as chief justice after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interviews were wrapped up on Friday.

She was one of four candidates to be interviewed. The other three are acting chief justice Raymond Zondo, Constitutional Court justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and Gauteng judge president Dunstan Mlambo. 

Reacting to the recommendation, DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille said politicians should be removed from the commission. 

“It is past time we remove politicians from the JSC,” she said.

Echoing Zille’s statement, former tourism minister and ANC stalwart Derek Hanekom said the recommendation came from a “disgraceful exercise” and President Cyril Ramaphosa should appoint who he thinks is best for the job. 

“He should appoint whoever he thinks is best for the job, and not be bound by recommendations coming from this disgraceful exercise,” he said.

Weighing in on the debate around the JSC panel, EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu suggested that removing politicians from the panel was not easy because it is established by the constitution

“To change this you need a constitutional amendment by parliament. As members of parliament we will not change the constitution to please representatives of the establishment. It’s so far so good,” said Shivambu.

Last week, Shivambu slammed former Constitutional Court judge and director of Freedom Under Law Johan Kriegler after he called for EFF leader Julius Malema and advocate Dali Mpofu to be removed from the judicial JSC panel interviews.

Freedom Under Law argued that Malema and Mpofu were subject to serious ethical charges and therefore not fit to pass judgment.

“There’s no EFF member who will be removed from the JSC,” said Shivambu. 

“The hunting dogs of the white capitalist establishment are barking and they know very well that the composition of the JSC is not decided by them and will not change.”

Shivambu said Kriegler should go to the nearest lake and jump into it. 

“Apartheid judges must shut up. Our generation is not that sell-out generation that capitulated to everything dictated by settlers,” he said.