By Kgomotso Ramotsho
The National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADEL) have congratulated four members of the Black Lawyers Association (BLA), who have been appointed to the Judicial Services Commission (JSC). This was after President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote to the leaders of all parties represented in the National Assembly announcing his four candidates to be in the JSC. Section 178(1)(i) of the Constitution empowers the president, as head of the national executive, to designate four persons as members of the JSC. The candidates chosen by President Ramaphosa are: Hlaleleni Kathleen Matolo-Dlepu; Thandazani Griffits Madonsela; Mikateko Joyce Maluleke; and Doris Lebogang Tshepe.
Ms Matolo-Dlepu is the chairperson of the Legal Practice Council (LPC) and past co-chairperson of the Law Society of South Africa where she served on the gender committee. She is the director of Molefe-Dlepu Inc and was Vice-President of the BLA from 2011 to 2013.
Mr Madonsela was assistant State Attorney in Durban and a member of the BLA’s Durban branch. He was called to the Bar in 2001 and is a member of Advocates for Transformation (AFT). Mr Madonsela served as a representative for AFT on the Bar Council of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Society of Advocates and had a commercial practice and acted as a judge of the KZN High Court in 2011.
Ms Maluleke is a former director in the Gender Directorate at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and a former special adviser to former Minister for Women, Lulama Xingwana. Ms Maluleke has a BA LLB and LLM in tax law. She also headed several projects, including the monitoring and evaluation of all programmes of the Department of Justice for compliance with international and national obligations. Ms Maluleke brings with her extensive knowledge of customary law.
Ms Tshepe is an attorney at Cheadle Thompson and Haysom Inc. She has been the Managing Director of the firm since 2006 and heads the commercial and communication law department in the firm. Ms Tshepe is a non-executive director of Transnet SOC (Ltd), chairing the Risk Committee. She is also a non-executive director of Boardroom Alliance (Pty) Ltd. Ms Tshepe holds a BProc degree from the University of Limpopo, a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Masters in Tax Law from the University of the Witwatersrand.
The four candidates will be replacing advocates Lindi Nkosi-Thomas SC, Thandi Norman SC, Thabani Masuku SC and Sifiso Msomi who were all designated by former President Jacob Zuma. NADEL said the appointed four members brings vast experience and have served the legal profession in various capacities. The organisation also thanked the four members who are being replaced after two years of service in the JSC. NADEL noted that the four members who were replaced demonstrated commitment, dedication and excellence during their term of service. ‘We can confirm that they showed independence at all times. We never expected their quick replacement, but the President has a prerogative to do so. He chooses persons who must represent him in his body in terms of the Constitution’, NADEL added.
Kgomotso Ramotsho Cert Journ (Boston) Cert Photography (Vega) is the news reporter at De Rebus.