{"id":974560,"date":"2022-02-03T09:49:42","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T09:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/02\/03\/live-coverage-justice-dunstan-mlambo-states-his-case-for-being-chosen-as-chief-justice-and-answers-why-he-should-be\/"},"modified":"2022-02-03T09:49:42","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T09:49:42","slug":"live-coverage-justice-dunstan-mlambo-states-his-case-for-being-chosen-as-chief-justice-and-answers-why-he-should-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/02\/03\/live-coverage-justice-dunstan-mlambo-states-his-case-for-being-chosen-as-chief-justice-and-answers-why-he-should-be\/","title":{"rendered":"LIVE COVERAGE: Justice Dunstan Mlambo states his case for being chosen as Chief Justice and answers why he should be"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Johannesburg – <\/p>\n

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Madonsela says he is concerned about Mlambo’s practice of being visible to judges and surprise visiting them. He says judges are adults and did not need to be treated like children. Madonsela asks if he got the wrong impression of Mlambo’s vision @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Mlambo is responding to the objection by Public Protector in her personal and official capacity. Mlambo says the PP wanted to meet him in person about matters that were before court and he declined. He says she also didnt use her lawyers to engage him @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The #ChiefJusticeInterviews has resumed after tea. JP Thaletsi says Mlambo is being modest about his achievements. @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The #ChiefJusticeInterviews will take a short adjournment for tea @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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MORE ON THIS<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Min Lamola asks Mlambo’s thoughts on the CJ determining the budget. Mlambo says there is no reason why the judiciary should not engage with the executives on a different budgetary module. He says it is a work in progress and engagement is long overdue @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Justice Dunstan Mlambo is a veteran of the South African legal system. Picture: Timothy Bernard\/African News Agency (ANA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Mlambo says SA has been ready for a female CJ and says that SCA President Maya answered the questions appropriately yesterday when she said she was not here because she is a woman, she is here because she is a good judge @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Justice Minister Ronald Lamola asks whether Mlambo was involved in making Legal Aid so techno savvy? Mlambo says yes he was chairing the board when they decided Legal Aid SA was deciding on tech improvements @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

WATCH LIVE FEED HERE<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Mlambo says technology can go a long way if properly taken advantage off. He says that CaseLines (an evidence management platform) is so good that he cannot go back to hardcopies. He looks forward to the implementation court online and he will ensure to champion tech @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Mlambo says there is an issue around the well-being of judges like medical aid etc. He says this needs to be looked at @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Mlambo says the Maintenance Court in SA is “ineffective”. He says you hear horror stories all over about the issues there and how single mothers struggle to get anywhere @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Mlambo says there needs to be consequence management especially for those who take a prolonged time (sometimes up to 2 yrs) in handing down judgments. “if you can’t write judgments then you should not be in the judiciary,” he says @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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He is now going through is seven pillars. Mlambo says “Effective Leadership” is pillar one. He says in one aspect, members of the judiciary need to find each other. He says there needs to be a judicial colloquium @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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His vision is to run an efficient and effective judiciary. He has based his vision on seven pillars @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Mlambo is now given 30 mins to state his case on why he should be the next Chief Justice @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Petse asks Mlambo about rumours that he left the SCA because he could not put up with the challenges there. Mlambo says that he did not “run away” @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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When Chairperson Petse says they can be forgiven as it was their right to do so, Mlambo agrees and says that he always tells them to “bring it on” @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Mlambo says that he believes visibility and face-to-face presence goes a long way in ensuring the smooth running of courts. He says he has a habit of arriving unannounced at judges chambers just to chat with them @IOL<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Judge President Dunstan Mlambo has arrived at the #JSCinterviews for #ChiefJustice
He tells the panel he has lost 5kgs in preparation for this interview @IOL pic.twitter.com\/9iHYU7CZvC<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kailene Pillay (@kailenepillay) February 3, 2022<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The search for South Africa’s next Chief Justice continues today as the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) enters its third day of interviews with for the top job.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Justice Dunstan Mlambo – a veteran of the South African legal system – will be the third candidate to take the hot seat as he is expected to be grilled by the Commissioners on why he should be the next Chief Justice.<\/p>\n

Over the last 30 years, Mlambo distinguished himself as a legal authority and as a former chairperson of Legal Aid South Africa. He has extensive experience in establishing and managing a legal aid system.<\/p>\n

He was appointed Judge President of the Gauteng Division of the High Court by former president Jacob Zuma effective from November 2012, succeeding Justice Bernard Ngoepe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Mlambo stated in his CV that he had “devoted his practice of law towards the upliftment and protection of people on the ground as a public interest lawyer and trade union lawyer”.<\/p>\n

During a speech made shortly after he took office, he said he would ensure that “access to justice becomes what it should be”.<\/p>\n

However, during the round of public comments last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa received at least two objections against Mlambo\u2019s possible appointment as the next Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Among the reasons cited for the objections were that he allegedly faced impeachment and imprisonment on eight counts of misconduct. He was accused of lacking ethics and allegedly demonstrating his contempt for the Constitution, the law and the truth.<\/p>\n

The objections were submitted by Limpopo Legal Solutions, a non-profit organisation that advocates for human rights, and KZN-based advocate Anthony Brink.<\/p>\n

Brink also accused the Judicial Conduct Committee of corruptly closing ranks around Mlambo as a ranking member of the JSC to protect him from being held to account, impeached and jailed for his alleged crimes and other misconduct.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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At that time, acting spokesperson in the Presidency, Tyrone Seale, confirmed more than 500 objections and support letters were received for the candidates.<\/p>\n

One of Mlambo\u2019s most notable cases was in the 2014 Oscar Pistorius murder trial when he ruled that the entire trial proceedings may be broadcast live via audio and that parts of the trial may be broadcast live via television.<\/p>\n

The ruling was welcomed by members of the South African media, who described it as a groundbreaking decision supporting freedom of expression, freedom of the media, open justice and democracy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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His reasons for allowing live broadcasting of the trial included dispelling perceptions that the rich and famous receive preferential treatment from the justice system, enabling public access to an unedited first hand account of the trial, and educating the public about criminal proceedings in general.<\/p>\n

[email protected] <\/p>\n

Political Bureau<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n