By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) conducted the final day of interviews of candidates for four vacancies at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on Tuesday.
First up it was Judge Zamani Nhlangulela, the Deputy Judge President of the Eastern Cape High Court, Mthatha.
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo declared that he and Nhlangulela were at university together.
Nhlangulela, an attorney before becoming judge in 2009, acted at the SCA from late 2022 until last Friday.
A controversial judgment involving the impeachment of Gauteng Judge Nkola Motata has came back to bite Nhlangulela.
Nhlangulela faced a gruelling interview by the JSC for a seat on the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), the same court that overturned his ruling on Motata.
The retired Gauteng judge is currently facing the first impeachment of a Judge by Parliament.
During his interview, Nhlangulela was also challenged by a perceived lack of experience in dealing with complex matters.
A Mthatha High Court judge since 2009 – Nhlangulela told the interviewing panel that the nature of cases handled in that court, should not be held against him.
He’s had five acting stints in the SCA.
During his more than two-hour long interview Nhlangulela offered Justice Minister Ronald Lamola advice about the penal system, saying he had learnt much serving on the National Council of Correctional Services.
But it was Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo who wanted to know why Nhlangulela had not listed his judgment in the Motata impeachment matter as among some of his significant work.
Nhlangulela said it had not been his intention to conceal a case well-known to the commission.
“I think I was being more than anything, protective towards the judiciary. I didn’t want us to open a discussion which has got those undertones of which I feared. Pardon me about my weakness.”
Despite the judgment being overturned, Nhlangulela said he still believed he did a good job on an important case when he was called to Gauteng to handle it.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of JRSA.