Africa-Press – South-Africa. Opposition parties have welcomed the appointment of Justice Mahube Betty Molemela as the new President of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) with effect from 1 June 2023.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment on Friday.
The Presidency said Molemela boasts an illustrious judicial career spanning over 15 years, having served as a Judge President of Free State Division of the High Court for a period of three years before her elevation to the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2018.
She has also served as a Judge of the Labour and Labour Appeal Court, Acting Judge of the Competition Appeal Court and Acting Judge of the Constitutional Court for two terms in 2015.
President Ramaphosa expresses his appreciation to the incoming President of the Supreme Court of Appeal for her service to date in the judiciary and the legal profession and wishes her well in her new role.
“Justice Molemela’s appointment adds impetus to the continuing transformation of key institutions of our democracy, including the judiciary. Justice Molemela is an outstanding jurist who will play a critical role in entrenching justice for all South Africans,” the President said.
The DA congratulated Judge Molemela on her appointment.
“Judge Molemela has a strong background that qualifies her for this position,” DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach said.
The DA said Judge Molemela held the position of Judge President of the Free State for eight years, and has been on the SCA Bench for four years.
“Judge Molemela holds a variety of academic qualifications, her principle law degrees being obtained at the University of the Free State,”Breytenbach added.
Good said with her impressive judicial career, there is no doubt that she will add strong, credible leadership to the judiciary in South Africa.
The party said Molemela will also be the second woman to lead the SCA, after Justice Mandisa Maya, who is now serving as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court.
GOOD said the continuing transformation in key democratic institutions is crucial for South Africa and a welcomed sign of a maturing society.
“This is especially true in terms of the gender parity progress made in the judiciary in the 100th year since women were permitted in practice law in South Africa,” GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron said.
Herron added it’s absurd to think that women were barred from practicing law in SA until April 1923.
The EFF was ask for comment, their comment will be added once received.
ActionSA said they believe her appointment will bring further strong leadership to the country’s judiciary.
ActionSA believes her appointment is a step in the right direction as part of the transformation of key institutions and hopes that her appointment will contribute to making the judicial system more accessible to all South Africans. We wish her well as she embarks on this important task.
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