Supreme Court of Appeal president Mandisa Maya. (Gallo)
Interviews for candidates for appointment to the Constitutional Court were postponed on Monday because of a “potential conflict of interest” on the part of Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) president, Mandisa Maya.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) was scheduled to interview six candidates for two vacancies on the highest court. However, after a long meeting behind closed doors, the public was informed that the interviews could not go ahead.
According to the Constitution and case law, the JSC will not be quorate unless the appeal court president or her deputy is present. JSC spokespersons CP Fourie and Thoko Didiza said that there was no one able to stand in for Maya on Monday but were confident that the interviews would take place on Wednesday.
They would not elaborate on what the possible conflict was.
Candidates to be interviewed for the highest court are Supreme Court of Appeal justices Stevan Majiedt and Zukisa Tshiqi, Western Cape high court judge Patricia Goliath, and Gauteng high court judges, Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane, Jody Kollapen, and Annali Basson.
On Tuesday the JSC will interview for five vacancies on the SCA.