/ 13 December 1996

Counting the famous

Mail & Guardian Reporter

IT appears some unusually colourful curricula vitae have been thrown at the Judicial Services Commission which is selecting new permanent judges in Cape Town this week.

In his enthusiasm for a seat on the Bench, one of the applicants, Solly Sithole of the University of the North, apparently flagged some of the famous people he had taught during his career.

They included politician turned businessman Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africa’s first black woman judge, Lucy Mailula.

One of the other applicants, advocate Pranil Singh of the University of the Transkei, adopted a blunderbuss approach, gunning for posts in three divisions: the Eastern Cape, the Ciskei and the Transkei.

A spokesman from the commission said this week it would probably announce the new appointments on Friday, after it had consulted the president. The commission interviewed the candidates on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was also presented with confidential opinions on the candidates compiled by the General Council of the Bar.