Cape Town -
She said she is only a guinea-pig because everyone who nominated her wanted a woman to interview for the job. She said she feels honoured that she was that woman to help "make a crack in that glass ceiling" @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Now at the tail-end of the interview, Maya is asked if there is anything she wishes to add. Maya says she does not have a closing statement but she thanks all those who nominated her and supported her candidacy @IOL
Maya says that every SA would think it was a fine idea but she does not know if it could happen with the current resources. She says the courts are already understaffed and lacks resources so it would be the Minister to decide on how that would be possible @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Malema asks Maya if we should have courts specially dedicated to corruption as corruption is a major problem in SA. He asks if Maya would be amenable to having a separate court to also see corruption cases dealt with faster. @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Maya is asked how her experience as chair of the JSC committees would help her if appointed as CJ? Maya says she got a deeper insight of the internal functions. She says she is a quick learner with a strong character and is ready to take on the job as CJ @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
The #ChiefJusticeInterviews was just hit with a second bout of loadshedding for the day. Things are slowly coming back on while the generator kicks in @IOL
WATCH: I am more than a woman, says SCA President Mandisa Maya during JSC interview
President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Justice Mandisa Maya believes South Africa was always ready for a female Chief Justice (post), as she told the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) there was never a shortage of capable women.
Maya is five hours into her interview for Chief Justice.
When Northern Cape High Court Judge President Pule Tlaletsi asked her if South Africa was ready for the appointment of a woman as Chief Justice, Maya did not skip a beat when she told the panel that such a question should not even be asked.
Maya argued that women were not a special group that needed a favour.
Read the full story here
Maya gets emotional as Commissioner Lucas reminds her that she is the only woman who is being interviewed for Chief Justice and that her nomination was supported and lauded worldwide @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
#ChiefJusticeInterviews have resumed after lunch. SCA President Mandisa Maya has taken her seat and will continue fielding questions from the panel @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Freedom Under Law expressed concerns about EFF leader Julius Malema and Adv Dali Mpofu interviewing judges as it argued they were subject to serious ethical charges. Mpofu's behaviour at Zondo Commission was also brought up.
Mpofu says it's "not even worth responding to" @IOL pic.twitter.com/igUjcb4PtO
Adv Dali Mpofu is preparing to address the media on the ongoing #ChiefJusticeInterviews @IOL pic.twitter.com/QjtuA55Qh0
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Video: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)
She says mentorship of young people is also key. Maya says it should be something all judicial officers should be involved in @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Commissioner Dodovu is asking Maya about social justice and what can be done to address such issues? Maya says making sure people have access to justice is key @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
The spokespersons of the JSC will brief the media on the Chief Justice interview process thus far and when and how briefings will take place between now and the conclusion of the deliberations scheduled for Saturday. This will take place today at 2pm @IOL
Maya says that she will not be an outsider at the ConCourt because many of the judges there served at the SCA under her @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Maya says that she considers all cases as important and all the matters that she presided or sat in were important @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Commissioner Madonsela asks if Maya has been able to tackle cases that are imp for the judiciary as SCA leader? Maya says with SA being the rape capital of the world, she finds rape cases as number 1 in importance. She says she sat in a number of important cases @IOL
Video: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)
Supreme Court of Appeal President Mandisa Maya's interview resumes now. The floor is opened for questions from the Commissioners.#ChiefJusticeInterviews @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Maya addresses Justice Minister Lamola who sits on the security cluster. She says the court needs assistance with rape cases. She says DNA evidence gets lost and requests Lamola "pressses" Police Minister Bheki Cele to do something @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Maya speaks about sexual harassments and maternity policies, She says she was the first judge to get pregnant "and they didn't know what to do with me" @IOL
Maya takes a sip of water and tells the JSC, she needs to calm down because this upsets her so much. She says that women must be given the same opportunities as men when in the judiciary @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Maya says we cannot wait for another generation to rise to see transformation. She says it needs to be done now.
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
"Most of us here are products of bantu education but we have proven ourselves," she says. @IOL
Transformation of the judiciary and gender diversity remains a huge issue. Maya says the programme to fast-track women into the judiciary is being resuscitated. She says this will be a game-changer @IOL
She now deals with the talk of bringing all the courts under one roof. Maya said she will push for this @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Maya says she watched some of Justice Madlanga's interview yesterday. She heard the challenges and issues raised especially the issues plaguing the ConCourt. She says although she has not been there in close to a decade, she does keep in touch with the goings-on @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
She says that public has lost trust in the judiciary and this needs urgent attention @IOL
Maya asks the Chair if she can be given time to provide feedback on the undertakings she made previously.
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
She speaks about the different appointments that have been made, including female appointments @IOL
Maya's interview will now be afforded 30mins to share her vision of a functional, independent judiciary @IOL #ChiefJusticeInterviews
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
The proceedings in the #ChiefJusticeInterviews has begun. Chairperson Petse is making a few announcements such as proceedings will be adjourned for lunch at 13.50pm and resume at 3pm. Another adjournment will happen at 4pm. This is due to #loadshedding @IOL
— Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 2, 2022
Day 2 commences in the search for the country's next chief justice.
Supreme Court of Appeal President Mandisa Maya will take the hot seat today.
Maya is a striking figure in the line-up of candidates for the top job as she is the only female to have been shortlisted.
The tone was set on Tuesday during Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga's interview when he was asked his thoughts on whether South Africa was ready for a female chief justice.
Some panellists cast doubts on Madlanga's stance on gender transformation after he evaded the question on more than one occasion.
After almost eight hours of rigorous questioning during his interview, Justice Madlanga's earlier pro-feminist views came into question when he all but laughed off the question of whether the country was ready for a woman to lead ConCourt.
Read the full story here