The Advisory Panel appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to identify and conduct interviews with individuals for the position of the Head of the National Prosecuting Authority met for the first time on Monday.

The purpose of the meeting was to confirm the mandate of the panel and how it would go about carrying out its work.

According to Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko, the panel agreed on a framework and that it would ensure that worthy persons shortlisted were appropriately vetted before recommendations were sent to the President for consideration.

"The panel unanimously decided that interested persons and organisations will be invited to identify to the panel, persons who should be considered for appointment through an advertisement in the media calling for nominations/applications," Diko said.

The panel also decided on the time frames of work to be completed.

By October 23 invitations for applications and nominations for fit persons with legal qualifications must be undertaken. The advertisement would be published in the media, Diko said.

The closing date for applications and nominations will be on November 2 and shortlisting and interviews would begin on November 5 and end by November 23.

Diko said assessments by the panel and the finalisation of their recommendations would then take place from November 23 to 30, following the shortlisting of candidates.

She said the panel agreed to submit shortlisted names to the Ramaphosa by December 07, 2018.

Among those in the panel, which is chaired by Energy Minister Jeff Rhadebe, is Auditor General of SA Thembekile Makwetu, and General Council of the Bar of South Africa representative Advocate Barry Roux.

The panel is to complete its work within a timeline that allows Ramaphosa to comply with a deadline set by the Constitutional Court to appoint a new NDPP.

The court gave Ramaphosa 90 court days after making its ruling on 13 August 2018.

At the time the Constitutional Court ruled that the appointment of Shaun Abrahams as National Prosecution Authority head was unconstitutional and invalid.