Gauntlett criticises JSC appointments process

According to a report in Die Burger, he called for changes to the judicial appointment process and for a limit to be placed on judges' powers. Gauntlett pleaded for a toning down of political influence in the appointments process. And he questioned the usefulness of interviews being held in public, suggesting the way these were conducted turned them into a spectacle, which may explain why so few lawyers apply for positions on the Bench. He also pointed out that only eight members of the 23-member JSC have legal backgrounds. He said he would like to see more senior judges and lawyers included on the panel. Gauntlett used his speech to call for judges to be more accountable, saying they should patrol the borders of their powers. He bemoaned the fact that 'some bad judges' readily interfere with policy. The JSC's public interviews for positions in the Constitutional Court are scheduled for 22 February, the report notes. Full report in Die Burger