Zuma nominates Mogoeng for chief justice

16 August 2011 - 15:11 By Sapa
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Mogoeng Mogoeng
Mogoeng Mogoeng

President Jacob Zuma has nominated Judge Mogoeng Mogoeng as chief justice to replace former chief justice Sandile Ngcobo, whose term of office ended on Sunday.

In terms of the constitution, Zuma has to appoint the chief justice after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and leaders of parties represented in the National Assembly.

"I have today, 16 August 2011, initiated the process of consultation by addressing letters to political parties represented in the National Assembly as well as the JSC advising them of my nomination of Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as my preferred candidate for the position of chief justice of the Republic of South Africa," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Justice Mogoeng, who was appointed to the Constitutional Court in 2009, brings several years of experience in the legal profession, including the judiciary," he said.

Mogoeng was appointed a judge of the North West High Court in June 1997 and judge of the Labour Appeal Court in April 2000, and in October 2002 he became judge president of the North West High Court.

"He has demonstrated his expertise and keen interest in the transformation of the judiciary and the promotion of access to justice for all by being part of and also leading programmes and activities designed to promote court efficiency and transformation."

He was part of a five-member committee led by former chief justice Pius Langa that investigated allegations of racism and gender discrimination within the judiciary.

He had also organised workshops for judges and magistrates on leadership and sensitivity training as well as workshops for magistrates on judgment writing and trial administration, Zuma said.

In his capacity as chairman of the North West Provincial Caseflow Management Forum he hosted annual conferences attended by key role players in the justice system.

These conferences addressed issues such as the efficiency and effectiveness of the justice system, restorative justice and non-custodial sentences, access to quality justice, and building the capacity of intermediaries and probation officers.

He now chaired the caseflow management committee which reported to the chief justice and the heads of courts.

In this capacity, he led the team that organised the groundbreaking access to justice conference held on July 8 to 10.

Mogoeng was nominated by the judges president to represent them in the Council of the SA Judicial Education Institute in 2009, Zuma said.

Mogoeng was born in Goo-Mokgatha (Koffiekraal) village, northeast of Zeerust, on January 14 1961.

He graduated from the University of Zululand with a B Juris in 1983, and completed his LLB at the University of Natal, Durban, in 1985.

In 1989, he completed his studies at the University of South Africa, where he studied an LLM concentrating on labour law, the law of property, the law of insurance, the law of evidence and the law of criminal procedure.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now