He told the Business Day he was grateful to everyone "who thought it was my duty to stand and who expressed their suppport up to the last, in so many ways".

Gauntlet failed to secure a seat in the Constitutional Court despite having been nominated by top legal academics and Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille.

"I am sorry their views were disparaged as 'populist' in the media comment offered afterwards by the chairman of the JSC [Judicial Service Commission]," said Gauntlett.

On Friday, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said he was confident the JSC made the right decision "as unpopular as it might be".

He said the JSC would not be "populist" and would not shirk its constitutional duty to avoid losing a court case.

The publication reported that the JSC went to the brink of court action the last time Gaunlett was overlooked.