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- Justice Raymond Zondo is being interviewed for the position of Chief Justice.
- Zondo says it is an honour to be interviewed for the post, adding he is not entitled to any position.
- He says he does not think he is better than the other candidates just because he is the deputy chief justice.
Justice Raymond Zondo says while it is an "honour" to be interviewed for the position of Chief Justice, he is not "entitled" to any position.
Zondo told the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Friday that it was also not his attitude that because he was currently the deputy chief justice and was acting as chief justice, he should be appointed. He is the last person to be interviewed for the job.
"I do not come here thinking that I am entitled to any position. I am not entitled to any position. The president has the prerogative to appoint who he decides to appoint."
On Friday morning, Zondo said it was also not his attitude that he was "better" than any candidate because of his current positions.
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"If I am appointed as Chief Justice, I would consider it a very high honour and privilege. I will not see myself as some super judge; I will see myself as I do now, as simply a servant to the people of South Africa," Zondo said.
Zondo told the JSC during his address that a Chief Justice should be someone with "integrity" who will be able to provide intellectual leadership.
It should also be someone who appreciated everyone's efforts, he said.
He said:
Zondo said he believed a Chief Justice should be concerned about what was happening in the country's courts.
"Are they functioning properly, are they not functioning properly? If they are not functioning properly, what are the problems that need to be solved?" he said.
Zondo also mentioned the challenges faced by lower courts, saying that he had been given documentation where these problems had been articulated.
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"A lot of problems relate to conditions of the building – buildings that are not maintained properly [and] air conditioners that are not working."
Zondo mentioned the Limpopo High Court in Thohoyandou, adding that the court was not in good condition. He said he had been told about some magistrate's court that didn't have parking space.
He said if he were appointed, he would probe why those problems took longer to resolve.
The interview continues.
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