‘Quicker judgments’ vows Madlanga as he aims for Chief Justice job
Constitutional Court Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga has vowed to adopt a strategy that will see the apex court finalise and deliver judgments quicker.
That’s if he’s appointed Chief Justice.
Madlanga is in the hot seat this Tuesday as the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) begins interviews for the judiciary’s top job.
He’s the first of four candidates that will be interviewed throughout the week.
The panel will then deliberate on Friday and make a recommendation to President Cyril Ramaphosa who has the final say.
Madlanga has made several suggestions about how he would use his term to keep the judiciary in good standing.
“With the freeing up of time, I believe that we are going to be able to deliver judgements much, much quicker. I have a firm belief on that.
“The proposal has something concrete but we are yet to put it to colleagues. We are putting down a proposal of 5 or 6 months for the delivery of judgments.”
Madlanga says this is in line with global best practices.
“I would say that the United Kingdom is an outlier because there they deliver judgments a few weeks after arguments.
“So five or six months, looking at what pertains internationally, I do not think we will be that bad as long as we do the best that we can to stick to that.”
Madlanga adds the incumbent Chief Justice must strike a balance between administrative and judicial functions.
“We must pay particular attention to the fact that, first and foremost, a Chief Justice is a judge, a jurist.
“As a judge and a Constitutionally ordained head of the judiciary, I believe that a Chief Justice must lead one judiciary from the front in terms of the creation of the country’s worthy and lasting jurisprudence.
“A Chief Justice must not be a super secretary-general or a super director-general. But this does not mean that the Chief Justice must be in the dark as to what is happening with regards to administration.”
“In the end a Chief Justice must be a trendsetter in the creation of our jurisprudence - that for me should be the function of the Chief Justice.”
Madlanga also envisions a judiciary that is sensitive to gender issues.
