President appoints Tshiqi and Majiedt as ConCourt judges

© Evgenyi Lastochkin – 123RF.com

The President made the appointments after consulting the Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa and the leaders of the parties represented in the National Assembly.

“In terms of section 174(4) of the Constitution, the President, as head of the National Executive, appoints Judges of the Constitutional Court following consultation with the Chief Justice and leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly,” said the Presidency.

President Ramaphosa appointed Judges Tshiqi and Majiedt from a list of five nominees prepared by the Judicial Services Commission.

The Commission conducted interviews in April 2019 following the discharge from active service of former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke and Justice Bess Nkabinde.

“President Ramaphosa has expressed his confidence that Justices Tshiqi and Majiedt will further enrich jurisprudence at the apex Court which has served the nation with distinction throughout the democratic dispensation,” said the Presidency.

Judge Tshiqi, 58, holds a B Proc degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Labour Law.

She started her legal career as a Legal Coordinator at the South African Council of Churches from 1986 to 1989. She served her articles from 1989 to 1991 and practised as an attorney until 2005 when she was appointed as a Judge of the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Johannesburg.

Prior to her permanent appointment, Judge Tshiqi served on a part-time basis as a mediator, facilitator, and arbitrator under the Independent Mediation Service of South Africa (IMSSA), and at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) as well as a Mediator in the Land Claims Commission.

She acted at the Competition Appeal Court from 2007 to 2009. She was later appointed at the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2009. She has an acting stint at the Constitutional Court from November 2014 to May 2015.

Judge Majiedt, 58, holds the BA Law and LLB degrees from the University of the Western Cape. He was admitted as an advocate in 1984 and practised as such until 1995 when he was appointed as a Chief Provincial State Law Adviser in the Northern Cape Office of the Premier from 1996 to 1999.

January 2000, Judge Majiedt returned to private practice as an advocate and this culminated in his appointment as an Acting Judge of the Northern Cape Division of the High Court. It was during that year that he was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Northern Cape Division of the High Court.

In December 2010, Judge Majiedt was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Judge Majiedt acted at the Constitutional Court from February to May 2014.

He also served as a member of the National Association of the Democratic Lawyers (NADEL) from 1986 to 2000. He is the current Chairperson of the Rules Board for the Courts of Law and also a Council Member of the South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI). Additionally, he is the Chancellor of the Sol Plaatje University.