Dali Mpofu, the controversial South African advocate, has appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, and Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola to appoint him or one of his colleagues at the Pan African Bar Association of South Africa (PABASA) back to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
Mpofu was a member of the JSC from 2014 to 2019, but he was not reappointed by Ramaphosa. He has been critical of the current JSC panel, which he says is not representative of all Advocates. In a tweet, Mpofu said that he felt “aggrieved” that he was not at the JSC interviews, which are currently underway to select new judges for the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal. He also said that the composition of the current JSC panel was not “legit”.
Mpofu said that the General Council of the Bar (GCB), which nominated two senior counsel to the JSC panel, did not represent all advocates. He also said that Karishma Pillay, one of the members of the JSC panel, was not representing him or “Twitter SC”.
Mpofu called on Ramaphosa, Zondo, and Lamola to appoint him or one of his colleagues at PABASA back to the JSC. He said that PABASA was a representative body of advocates and that it was important for it to have a voice on the JSC.
Mpofu’s appeal is likely to be met with mixed reactions. Some people will support his call for greater representation of black lawyers on the JSC, while others will oppose his appointment due to his controversial past.
However, Mpofu is also a talented lawyer with a deep knowledge of the law. He is a strong advocate for black lawyers and for the transformation of the South African legal profession. Whether or not Dali Mpofu is appointed back to the JSC is a decision that will be made by President Cyril Ramaphosa. It is a decision that is likely to be met with mixed reactions.
DALI MPOFU
I feel aggrieved that I am not there at the #JSCInterviews.
The composition of the current JSC panel is not legit.
The GCB which nominated two senior counsel is not representing all advocates [yes, it actually represents majority of advocates]
Adv Karisha Pillay… pic.twitter.com/ELANfMGQpp
— Constitution First 🇿🇦 (@Constitution_94) October 6, 2023
