By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Constitutional Court candidate advocate Alan Dodson SC has told the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) he has used the privilege that comes with his white skin to represent the disadvantaged in South Africa.
During his interview on Monday, Dodson said he could not do much about the fact that he is white and male. He said even though he lived in three different countries, South Africa was his home, and every cell and fibre of his body was made from the African soil.
“To the extent that I have a white skin I haven’t taken advantage of it and I’ve done the best to use the privileges that still come with it. I don’t deny there are privileges that have been attached to my white skin, but I try to use the resources and the privileges that I’ve had educationally for the betterment of the country and to represent the disadvantaged in South Africa,” he added.
Dodson was the first nominee to be interviewed. The JSC had been forced to redo its April interviews for two vacancies at the apex court after the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) challenged its lawfulness and constitutionality.
Dodson told the commission he would bring a wide range of experience to the apex court, which could be of assistance in enriching the adjudication of the Constitutional Court.
“Both my non-land work, as well as particularly my land work, I think it’s going to be a big issue in years to come,” he said.
The advocate was a judge at the Land Claims Court from 1995 to 2000. He also served as an acting judge in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg and the Labour Court.
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Video Courtesy of Judiciary RSA.