JSC recommends Mabindla-Boqwana to be the next WC judge president
A former judge of that court, the 51-year-old Mabindla-Boqwana will take the reins of a troubled division as the impact of the fallout of the court’s past and present leaders was laid bare in most of the interviews conducted on Monday.
SCA Judge Nolwazi Mabindla-Boqwana during her interview with the JSC on 14 October 2024. Picture: @OCJ_RSA/X
CAPE TOWN - The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has recommended Supreme Court of Appeal judge, Nolwazi Mabindla-Boqwana, to be the next judge president of the Western Cape High Court.
A former judge of that court, the 51-year-old Mabindla-Boqwana will take the reins of a troubled division as the impact of the fallout of the court’s past and present leaders was laid bare in most of the interviews conducted on Monday.
ALSO READ:
• Judge le Grange tells JSC fallout involving Hlophe impacted WC bench
• Goliath says Hlophe was her mentor during grilling at her JSC interview
• WC Deputy Judge President Goliath tells JSC she inherited a division 'in a dire state'
Former judge turned parliamentarian, John Hlophe, had been the judge president for more than 20 years until his impeachment in February.
He and the court's deputy judge president, Patricia Goliath, were involved in a spat four years ago that was adjudicated by the commission and which has fractured the bench and the court staff.
After more than 12 hours of interviews for the top job, it was Judge Nolwazi Mabindla-Boqwana that impressed the most.
She told the JSC that she "grew up" in the Western Cape High Court, where she was appointed a judge in 2013.
Mabindla-Boqwana said that she was promoted to the appeal court just as tensions were starting to brew between Hlophe and Goliath.
Four of the seven judges interviewed for the post currently serve in the division, including Goliath's acting deputy, Judge Andre le Grange.
Goliath faced a four-hour grilling by the interviewing panel on Monday over her leadership style and what several commissioners referred to as the elephant in the room.
But Mabindla-Boqwana said she believed her leadership could turn the situation around and she didn't foresee a problem working with Goliath if recommended for the job.
"Not at all from my side, definitely not. I've known Deputy Judge President Goliath for a long time, since I was in the division for seven years, and I've had a number of interactions with her and I respect her."
It was evident Mabindla-Boqwana was held in high regard by the commissioners, with Chief Justice Mandisa-Maya revealing she had intentions of asking her to take up an acting stint in the Constitutional Court.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will have the final say of making the appointment official.