HISTORIC PUBLIC INTERVIEWS FOR JUDGES POSTS

MBABANE – For the first time in the history of the judiciary, interviews for judges were conducted publicly.

The media was allowed to observe as the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) conducted the interviews yesterday.
Acting Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala said the reason the interviews were conducted publicly was to show transparency.

The interviews for the four permanent judges of the High Court were conducted at the High Court yesterday by acting Chief Justice Maphalala who was sitting with JSC members Musa Dlamini, Andreas Simelane and Musa Dlamini,
The acting Chief Justice is currently the chairperson of the JSC.

There were 25 applicants for the four positions of permanent judges of the High Court but only seven met the required standards.
Among the applicants for these positions are acting Attorney General Sabelo Matsebula and President of the Law Society of Swaziland Titus Mlangeni.

Some of the lawyers who sat for the interviews were acting High Court Judge Sidumo Mdladla, former acting Supreme Court Judge Sipho Nkosi, Cryil Maphanga, Zonke Magagula and Sinethemba Khumalo.
First to be interviewed was Nkosi who was made to answer a number of questions touching on the operations of the judiciary and the law.
According to the adverts issued by the commission, candidates eligible to apply for the positions of High Court judges should meet the qualifications provided for in Section 154 (1) read with Section 157(1) of the Constitution of Swaziland.

Section 154 (1) of the Constitution under the qualification for appointment to the superior courts provides that: A person shall not be appointed as a justice of a superior court unless that person is of high moral character and integrity.
Section 157(1) stipulates that:  A person who is not a citizen of Swaziland shall not be appointed as justice of a superior court after seven years from the commencement of this Constitution.

Currently there are eight permanent judges of the High Court and they are Judge Qinisile Mabuza, Principal Judge Stanley Maphalala, Judge Bheki Maphalala (acting Chief Justice), Judge Nkululeko Hlophe, Judge Mumcy Dlamini, Judge Jacobus Annandale and Judge Mbutfo Mamba.

Judge Mpendulo Simelane is currently on suspension after he was arrested by the Anti Corruption Commission and is currently out on bail. His fate is still to be determined by the JSC.
The commission recently appointed senior lawyer Mdladla as the acting judge of the High Court for a period of a month.

It was during Mdladla’s swearing- in that the acting chief justice announced that there was a need to hire more judges to ease the backlog of cases at the High Court.
On Tuesday the commission also conducted interviews for the position of Industrial Court registrar.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: