Judges Kollapen and Mothapo appointed to Constitutional Court

Judges Narandan “Jody” Kollapen and Rammaka Steven Mathopa have been appointed to the Constitutional Court by president Cyril Ramaphosa.

They will fill two of the five vacancies on the court and will take up their positions on January 1.

The names of the two judges were included in the list of five nominees submitted to Ramaphosa by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in October after it redid the previous controversial interviews.

The other candidates were justices Mahube Molemela, Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane and Bashier Vally.

Minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele said in a statement that Ramaphosa had consulted with acting chief justice Raymond Zondo and the leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly with comment on the candidates due by December 14.

“Judges Kollapen and Mathopo have illustrious careers in the legal profession and the judiciary,” the minister said.

Kollapen served as a judge in the Gauteng division from 2010 after he served as a member and later as chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission.

Mathopo was appointed a judge in the Gauteng division of the high court in 2006 and was promoted to the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2015.

The JSC process, in April, of interviewing candidates to submit to Ramaphosa was marred by controversy which ended up in court due to its perceived politicisation and lack of professionalism. The JSC then agreed to redo the interviews.

The JSC underwent the process again under the chairmanship of acting chief justice Raymond Zondo and nominated the same five people.

ensorl@businesslive.co.za