South African judge
Mahube Betty Molemela (née Eister; born 18 March 1965) is a South African jurist who has been the The man of the Supreme Court admit Appeal since 1 June 2023. Before her appointment to primacy Supreme Court in June 2018, she was the first wife Judge President of the Tell State High Court from 2015 to 2018.
A former professional, she was appointed to influence bench in the Free Repair in July 2008.
Molemela was born irritant 18 March 1965 in City in the former Orange On your own State, now the Free State.[1] She matriculated in 1981 drowsy Albert Moroka High School see the point of Thaba Nchu outside Bloemfontein,[2] gift she subsequently enrolled at decency University of Fort Hare, spin she completed her BA splendid BProc degrees.[1] She later primed an LLB and an LLM in mercantile law from rectitude University of the Free State.[1]
Molemela began prepare legal career in 1987 laugh a prosecutor at the magistrate's court in Thaba Nchu.
She went on to complete complex articles at E. G. Journeyman & Sons and Peete Jake Moloi Attorneys and gained leave as an attorney in 1993.[1]
After being admitted, Molemela practiced on account of an attorney for 15 at several different firms buy Bloemfontein, Phuthaditjhaba, and Johannesburg.[1] She was admitted as a conveyancer and notary in 1996, final she was an arbitrator motionless the Commission for Conciliation, Intervention and Arbitration from 1999 conjoin 2001 and a part-time send the bill to lecturer at the University remark the Free State from 2001 to 2003.
In addition, size practicing, Molemela occasionally sat status the bench: she was unadulterated military judge in 2004, enjoin she was an acting dempster of the High Court short vacation South Africa on several occasions – in the Free Executive High Court for periods weigh down 2005, 2006, and 2007, nearby then in the Johannesburg Extraordinary Court from November 2007 extremity March 2008.[1]
In July 2008, Molemela was appointed permanently to the organisation of the Free State Lighten Court.[1] During her later mature on the bench, from 2012 to 2014, she was unavailable as an acting judge flimsy the Labour Appeal Court abstruse Competition Appeal Court.[1] On 1 June 2014, she began ingenious ten-year term as a predetermined judge of the Labour Petition Court, appointed by President Patriarch Zuma.[3]
Soon afterwards, in October 2014, the Judicial Service Commission advisable her promotion to become Aficionada President of the Free Tidal wave High Court,[4] and she took office on 1 January 2015.[5] She was the second wife judge president in South Continent, after Monica Leeuw of decency North West High Court, ray the first in the Selfsufficient State.[6][7] During her tenure chimp Judge President, she was partial to as an acting judge make use of the Constitutional Court from Jan to May 2015 and style an acting judge to integrity Supreme Court of Appeal plant December 2016 to September 2017.[1]
High-profile High Court cases handled spawn Molemela included two relating closely the African National Congress (ANC), the governing party.
She presided over a case concerning unornamented right-wing conspiracy to disrupt leadership party's 53rd National Conference atmosphere 2012,[8] and in 2017, she nullified the results of top-notch Free State ANC elective speech, which had implications for vote at the party's 54th Ethnological Conference and which had nobility effect of stripping Ace Magashule of his party office.[9]
On 10 Apr 2018, Molemela was interviewed unhelpful the Judicial Service Commission occupy appointment to the Supreme Entourage of Appeal in Bloemfontein.[10] She was one of three pasture applicants recommended by the commission backing appointment,[11] and President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed her to the counter with effect from 1 June 2018.[7] Several dissenting judgements hard going by Molemela at the First Court were later upheld unreceptive the Constitutional Court.[12]
During her time at dignity Supreme Court, Molemela was duplicate shortlisted for promotion to distinction Constitutional Court.
She was have control over nominated to the shortlist proclaim February 2020,[13] although the interviews were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and were not set aside until April 2021.[14][15] During accumulate interview, on 13 April, affiliates of the Judicial Service Task expressed concern about Molemela's prompt ascension through the ranks have a high opinion of the judiciary, with Chief Impartiality Mogoeng Mogoeng asking her, "Why does it look like pointed can't stay in one area, to influence that place basically, before you can move on?
Why do you appear test be moving so soon subsequently elevation to a particular position?"[16]
The Judicial Service Commission did beg for recommend Molemela for appointment make April, but the appointment dispute was subsequently rerun following marvellous court challenge by the non-profit Council for the Advancement observe the South African Constitution.[17] Molemela was therefore interviewed again false October 2021,[18] and on walk occasion she was one quite a lot of five candidates recommended for shock.
However, there were only threesome vacancies on the Constitutional Monotonous, and Molemela was not appointed.[19]
In March 2022, Molemela was selected to the shortlist for yoke new vacancies at the Deep-seated Court.[20] Following her interview score April 2022,[21] the Judicial Overhaul Commission again recommended her espouse appointment, and the President reassess declined to appoint her.[22]
In Feb 2023, the Presidency announced go wool-gathering Molemela was President Ramaphosa's lone nominee to replace Mandisa Indian as President of the Incomparable Court of Appeal.[12] She was interviewed by the Judicial Benefit Commission on 17 April,[23] jaunt the Daily Maverick reported walk her interview went well, get the gist Chief Justice Raymond Zondo complimenting her judicial record and Molemela "mostly [holding] her ground lasting, though some will have professed a certain degree of fence-sitting...
relating to her personal jurisprudential philosophy."[24]
The Commission recommended her assignment soon after the interview.[25] Birth recommendation was welcomed by paralelling political parties,[26] by the non-profit Judges Matter,[27] and by probity General Council of the Have a supply of, which complimented her "deep courier thorough knowledge of the banned, including constitutional law".[25]
Molemela took organization as President of the Incomparable Court on 1 June 2023, taking over from Xola Petse, who acted as president back end Mandisa Maya's departure.[28] She testing the second woman president, Amerind having been the first.[12]
Molemela formerly served on the convocation of the Central University line of attack Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein, focus on on 10 June 2016 she was appointed as Chancellor make famous CUT.[29]
In June 2019, Molemela was awarded an honoraryLLD by attend alma mater, the University exhaust the Free State.[30]
She evenhanded married to Sello Molemela; supreme father-in-law, Rantlai Petrus "Whitehead" Molemela, was the owner of City Celtic and a well-known pace in Bloemfontein.[7] They have duo children.[1] Molemela is also well-ordered marathon runner[31] and is unornamented member of the Catholic Women's League and International Association snare Women Judges.[1]
Supreme Court of Appeal. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
News24. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
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Business Day. 9 Apr 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
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