Supreme Court of Appeal Judge, Mandisa Maya says “Don’t ask if SA is ready for a woman to lead” during her JSC interview.
The hunt for South Africa’s next Chief Justice has featured interviews of the shortlisted candidates including Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo (still to come), Supreme Court of Appeal Judge President Mandisa Maya, Constitutional Court Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga and Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo.
During her interview, Supreme Court of Appeal Judge, Mandisa Maya spoke about four notions that were considered to argue against her appointment. She spoke about a view that it was best to leave the SCA in her capable handles for now and called it “most patronising and even patriarchal maybe” revealing that there were other capable judges at the court (5 women included).
Maya shared that the notion of the country not being ready for the first female head of judiciary irritated many women. According to her “I’m not good because I’m a woman, I’m just a good woman judge,”.
