LISTEN: Mlambo rests bid for CJ on 7 pillars

On Thursday the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) sat for a third day in a process that has generated great public interest.  

Mlambo’s interview followed judges Mbuyiseli Madlanga and Mandisa Maya earlier in the week. 

The JSC panel posed some critical questions on Mlambo’s controversies, including judgments, claims of conflict of interest, as well as rumours of sexual harassment.  

The panel also interrogated Mlambo’s vision for the Office of the Chief Justice - a vision premised on seven pillars. 

Mlambo’s seven pillars include - among others - effective and visible leadership, an independent judiciary, as well as embracing innovation and court modernisation and efficient administration. 

“My vision is to see and have an efficient and effective judiciary that is independent and able to fulfil its mandate as set out in the Constitution," he said.  

“It is my experience as a leader in the judiciary that visible leadership instils confidence in those that are led. I found that visible and present leadership goes a long way in instilling confidence in members of the bench,” said Mlambo.

Much like the other two candidates, Mlambo admitted there were challenges faced by the judiciary while denying there was an imminent crisis.  

“One of the aspects that stands out is that the South African judiciary is a functional judiciary, it’s a judiciary that has lived up to the promise of the Constitution in terms of delivering justice. 

“But there are challenges. That environmental scan informed me that there are perceptions around South African society that the Constitution has not delivered and is not achieving its purpose. My scan told me that there’s a loss of confidence in the judiciary,  loss of confidence as well as in the justice system as well as the rule of law but more worrying, my scan revealed that the judiciary operates in a somewhat toxic environment,” he said. 

Mlambo believes the attacks on the judiciary’s independence and impartially are a setback for the sector.

“This is a function of a polarised space,” Mlambo added.  

Mlambo also lamented budget constraints that cripple the judiciary’s operations.

“The Executive is always cutting budgets. Budget cuts have a detrimental effect in the judicial space because it affects key stakeholders like Legal Aid South Africa and members of the prosecution because their human capital is reduced and their ability to cover the current courts and more courts is compromised and this is the result of budget cuts. 

“I know that the Executive has been kind in terms of treating the economic space entities with kid gloves when it comes to resourcing but I think it’s high time they also factored in the judiciary and the justice sector at large because we play a critical role in terms of our Constitution,” said Mlambo.   

Mlambo stood up to the criticism levelled against him, assuring the JSC he was the better suited candidate to take up the job as the head of the judiciary.  

The committee will hear from the final candidate, acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, on Friday morning. 

The JSC will deliberate on the interviews on Saturday before making a recommendation to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who has the final word.

Listen to Mlambo below: 

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