Minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele has defended President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to appoint deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo as the chief justice, saying he is the right man for the job.

“We have confidence in judge Zondo, there are no scandals around his career and he has done his job with excellence as far as I am concerned,” Gungubele said. 

He was speaking at a media briefing before a presidential imbizo in Mahikeng, North West, after Ramaphosa appointed Zondo as chief justice despite the Judicial Service Commission recommending Supreme Court of Appeal president Mandisa Maya for the position.

Ramaphosa nominated Maya to serve as Zondo’s deputy.

In response to EFF criticism of the decision, Gungubele said his boss had exercised his presidential prerogative.

“It is unfortunate that in SA we have some parties which are, in my view, very sickly,” he said.

“The most disappointing thing is when you have got parties that have got an opportunity on the panel, expressed their views and the president exercises his authority based on them in that collective saying that they are all appointable, and then go and insult in the streets.” 

Gungubele said Zondo was the right man for the job. “He was a judge in the labour sector, delivered judgments and is respected in the entire community and the judiciary. So we prefer to leave that matter where it is.

“The president has nominated a woman to be the deputy chief justice, who in my view is still young, and we need to leave the matter there because the president has exercised his discretion.”

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