Issued by: Office of the President
STATEMENT ON THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE
1. The term of office of the present Chief Justice, Mr Justice M M Corbett, expires on 31 December 1996. In terms of section 97 (1) of the interim Constitution, Act 200 of 1993, his successor in office "shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Cabinet and after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission".
2. In accordance with a procedure which caries the approval of the President and the Judicial Service Commission and in order to enable the President to consult with the Judicial Service Commission, a committee consisting of the Chief Justice, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of Justice and the President's Legal Adviser has been established. This committee has been charged with the function of making enquiries directed at the heads of all the divisions of the Supreme Court and the other interested legal bodies usually consulted by the Judicial Service Commission, in order to establish who would be willing to permit his or her name to be placed before the President for the purpose of being considered by the President for appointment as Chief Justice. The committee will commence soliciting such nominations immediately and will request the relevant legal bodies to submit nominations by 11 September 1996.
3. The committee will then, place a short list of nominees before the Judicial Service Commission in order to enable the Commission to make a recommendation to the President. The Judicial Service Commission will interview such nominees in public in accordance with the Commission's established procedures. Interested bodies will be allowed to submit comments upon the short-listed nominees to the Judicial Service Commission, should they so wish.
4. The President will, in due course, consider the recommendations and comments of the Judicial Service Commission. In accordance with the Constitution, the final decision in respect of the appointment of a Chief Justice to succeed Mr Justice M M Corbett will lie with the President and his Cabinet.
ISSUED BY THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 12 AUGUST 1996
Refer. N R L Haysom (Tel 021 461 6578) (Fax 021 547 293)