South Africa’s Ramaphosa appoints new chief justice

The brand new chief justice is the general public face of President Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption drive.

Justice Raymond Zondo, new chief justice of South Africa and head of an investigation fee into corruption allegations on the highest ranges of the state, holds a information convention on January 23, 2018 in Midrand [File: Phill Magakoe/AFP]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed skilled jurist Raymond Zondo because the nation’s new chief justice efficient April 1.

The announcement was made in a press release launched on Thursday, after a public choice course of.

Zondo, who has served as deputy chief justice on the Constitutional Court docket since 2017, grew to become the general public face of Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption drive whereas heading a latest nationwide inquiry into allegations of widespread corruption beneath the presidency of Jacob Zuma, the earlier head of state.

Final yr, the nation’s highest Constitutional Court docket sentenced Zuma to fifteen months imprisonment after he failed to look on the Zondo corruption inquiry regardless of being instructed to take action.

In January, the inquiry’s first printed report pointed to systemic corruption throughout Zuma’s tenure, following three years of investigation and greater than 300 witnesses.

Ramaphosa changed Zuma as president in 2018 after narrowly defeating him at a governing African Nationwide Congress celebration elective convention a number of months prior.

“The Chief Justice stand because the champion of the rights of all South Africans and bears duty for making certain equal entry to justice. I've each confidence that Justice Zondo will acquit himself with distinction on this place,” Ramaphosa mentioned in a press release.