Mandisa Maya

**Mandisa Muriel Lindelwa Maya** (dem born am 20 March 1964) be de Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa. Na she formerly be de President of de Supreme Court of Appeal from 2017 go 2022. She join de bench for May 2000 insyd as judge give de Transkei Division of de High Court of South Africa wey dem elevate am go de Supreme Court of Appeal for 2006 insyd.

Born for Eastern Cape insyd, Maya start ein legal career for Transkei, as prosecutor den state law adviser till dem admit as sam advocate for 1994 insyd. Presido Thabo Mbeki appoint am go de Mthatha High Court for May 2000 insyd den for de Supreme Court of Appeal for June 2006 insyd. For de appellate court insyd, dem elevate am go deputy presidency for September 2015 insyd den de presidency for May 2017 insyd, succeeding Lex Mpati for both positions insyd. Na she be de first black woman wey serve for de Supreme Court of Appeal insyd, as well as de court ein first woman deputy president den first woman president.

Dem unsuccessfully nominate Maya for elevation go de Constitutional Court for 2009 den 2012 insyd, wey President Cyril Ramaphosa controversially decline say she go confirm ein nomination as Chief Justice of South Africa for March 2022 insyd. For September 2022 insyd, however, Ramaphosa appoint am as de first woman Deputy Chief Justice, wey for dat capacity insyd she dey deputise Raymond Zondo. Na she be de president give de South African chapter of de International Association of Women Judges from 2018 go 2023, wey dem appoint as de Chancellor give de University of Mpumalanga for 1 July 2021 insyd.

## Ein Early life den education
Dem born Maya for 20 March 1964 for St Cuthbert's, sam rural area of Tsolo wey dey de Transkei region of de Eastern Cape. Na she be de eldest of six kiddies born to Sandile den Nombulelo Maya, wey na dem both be teachers. Na ein home language be Xhosa.

Ein family move go King William's Town for 1966 insyd after ein father get some job plus Radio Bantu, wey she attend school for der till 1977, when, secof de disruptive effects of de Soweto uprising, dem send am go attend school for Mthatha insyd. She matriculate for 1981 insyd for St John's College, Mthatha.

## Ein Legal education den career
As Maya enroll for University of Transkei insyd, she try say she go register for sam degree for medicine insyd but sam forensic medicine textbook put am off for de registration day. She study towards sam BProc instead, wey she graduate for 1986 insyd. Thereafter she attend de University of Natal, wey she plete plus LLB for 1988 insyd. Na she sana be clerk for Mthatha firm of Dazana Mafungo Inc. between 1987 den 1988, wey after graduation she work for de magistrate's court wey dey Mthatha insyd, wer na she be court interpreter den public prosecutor.

## Transkei Division: 2000–2006
For 1 May 2000 insyd, Maya join de bench permanently as judge give de Transkei Division. She sana serve as acting judge for de Labour Court, de Bhisho High Court (Ciskei Division), den Grahamstown den Port Elizabeth High Courts (Eastern Cape Division) insyd. For February 2005 insyd, dem appoint am as acting judge for de Supreme Court of Appeal insyd, wey she remain for dat court wey dey Bloemfontein insyd for over one year, till dem elevate am permanently de year wey dey follow.

### Ein Nominations go de Constitutional Court
For ein first decade tym for de Supreme Court of Appeal insyd, dem nominate Maya twice unsuccessfully for appointment as puisne judge give de Constitutional Court. Judicial Service Commission first interview am for September 2009 insyd as one of 24 candidates give four vacancies. Na she be one of de seven candidates wey de Judicial Service Commission shortlist after ein hearings, wey Pierre de Vos view am as strong candidate plus sam demonstrated "sensitivity for gender issues". However, Presido Jacob Zuma decline say he go appoint am, instead he confirm de appointments of Johan Froneman, Chris Jafta, Sisi Khampepe den Mogoeng Mogoeng.

### Deputy Presidency
For June 2015 insyd, na Maya be President Zuma ein sole nominee for appointment as Deputy President give de Supreme Court of Appeal, sam position wey Kenneth Mthiyane lef for der secof ein retirement for 2014 insyd. Following sam interview for Johannesburg for July insyd, de Judicial Service Commission recommend am as suitable for appointment. Zuma confirm ein appointment for 23 September 2015 insyd, wey she cam turn de first woman wey serve as de court ein Deputy President. As de Supreme Court President Lex Mpati retire de year wey dey follow, she stand insyd as acting President.

### Presidency

Presido Zuma announce for March 2017 insyd say Maya be ein sole nominee wey go succeed Mpati as Supreme Court President. Before den after ein confirmation interview plus de Judicial Service Commission for April 2017 insyd, na she be highly candid about wat she dey describe as de Supreme Court ein "challenges", wey she dey describe court as "not the most collegial of courts" den ein judges as afflicted plus "superiority complexes den disrespect". De Judicial Service Commission endorse ein appointment, wey Zuma confirm plus immediate effect for 26 May 2017 insyd.

### Nomination as Chief Justice
For October 2021 insyd, Presido Cyril Ramaphosa announce say Maya be part of longlist of eight candidates wey go succeed Mogoeng Mogoeng as Chief Justice of South Africa, wey de month wey dey follow, he announce say he shortlist Maya den three others: Raymond Zondo, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, den Dunstan Mlambo. De Judicial Service Commission consider Maya ein candidacy for sam interview for 2 February 2022 insyd, wey Maya open plus sam lengthy address about de failure of judicial leadership say she go address sexism for de judiciary insyd; among other things, she object give de absence of formal policies for sexual harassment den maternity top, wey she dey recall say, as she cam turn de first serving judge wey preg, de Department of Justice "simply no know wat dem go do plus me". Dem bizz am about ein own gender, wey she cry as commissioner Sylvia Lucas congratulate am for "breaking the glass ceiling".

## Constitutional Court: 2022–present
For May 2022 insyd, Maya accept Ramaphosa ein nomination give de position of Deputy Chief Justice. After dem interview am for June 2022 insyd, de Judicial Service Commission endorse de nomination, wey Ramaphosa announce for 25 July say dem go appoint give de position plus effect from 1 September 2022.

For February 2023 insyd, Zondo announce say dem appoint Maya say make she chair sam new committee wey dem task plus drafting sam sexual harassment policy give de judiciary, wey for June 2023 insyd, she hand down judgment for sam unanimous court ein behalf for *Ashebo v Minister of Home Affairs den Others*, wey block de deportation of sam asylum seeker.

## International Association of Women Judges
Na Maya be founding member of de South African chapter of de International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) for 2002 insyd. She serve as de chapter ein deputy president from 2008 go 2010 den as ein presido from 2018 go 2023. Dem later elect am as IAWJ ein regional director give West den Southern Africa for 2021 insyd, den as ein vice pee for 2023 insyd.

## Ein Honours
Nelson Mandela University award Maya plus honorary LLDs for 2018 insyd, Walter Sisulu University for 2019 insyd, den de University of Fort Hare for 2020 insyd. For July 2021 insyd, dem appoint am as de Chancellor give de University of Mpumalanga.

## Ein life matter
Maya marry Dabulamanzi Mlokoti, sam businessman wey dey komot from Johannesburg, wey she get three kiddies. Ein daughter, Wela Mlokoti, na she be clerk for de Constitutional Court top for Chris Jafta ein chambers wey she rise go public prominence wey dey lodge sam disciplinary complaint against Judge Fayeeza Kathree-Setiloane, wey na she dey act for de Constitutional Court insyd for dat tym.

## References