Controversial judgment stings Judge Nhlangulela at JSC interviews
During his interview, the Deputy Judge President of the Eastern Cape High Court - Zamani Nhlangulela - was also challenged by a perceived lack of experience in dealing with complex matters.
CAPE TOWN - A controversial judgment involving the impeachment of Gauteng Judge Nkola Motata has on Monday come back to bite the Deputy Judge President of the Eastern Cape High Court Zamani Nhlangulela.
Nhlangulela faced a gruelling interview by the Judicial Service Commission(JSC) for a seat on the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), the same court that overturned his ruling on Motata.
The retired Gauteng judge is currently facing the first impeachment of a Judge by Parliament.
During his interview, Nhlangulela was also challenged by a perceived lack of experience in dealing with complex matters.
A Mthatha High Court judge since 2009 - Nhlangulela told the interviewing panel that the nature of cases handled in that court, should not be held against him.
He’s had five acting stints in the SCA.
READ: JSC grills first group of SCA candidates on their judgments
During his more than two-hour long interview Nhlangulela offered Justice Minister Ronald Lamola advice about the penal system, saying he had learnt much serving on the National Council of Correctional Services.
But it was Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo who wanted to know why Nhlangulela had not listed his judgment in the Motata impeachment matter as among some of his significant work.
Nhlangulela said it had not been his intention to conceal a case well-known to the commission.
"I think I was being more than anything, protective towards the judiciary. I didn’t want us to open a discussion which has got those undertones of which I feared. Pardon me about my weakness."
Despite the judgment being overturned, Nhlangulela said he still believed he did a good job on an important case when he was called to Gauteng to handle it.
Nhlangulela is one of ten candidates vying for four vacancies in the country’s appellate court.
