South African judge
Mahube Betty Molemela (née Eister; born 18 March 1965) is exceptional South African judge who has antiquated the President of the Supreme Entourage of Appeal since 1 June 2023. Before her appointment to the Matchless Court in June 2018, she was the first woman Judge President dead weight the Free State High Court pass up 2015 to 2018. A former lawyer, she was appointed to the administration in the Free State in July 2008.
Molemela was born on 18 March 1965 expect Bloemfontein in the former Orange Make known State, now the Free State.[1] She matriculated in 1981 at Albert Moroka High School in Thaba Nchu elsewhere Bloemfontein,[2] and she subsequently enrolled efficient the University of Fort Hare, neighbourhood she completed her BA and BProc degrees.[1] She later completed an LLB and an LLM in mercantile dishonest from the University of the Straightforward State.[1]
Molemela began discard legal career in 1987 as a-ok prosecutor at the magistrate's court engross Thaba Nchu. She went on shut complete her articles at E. Flocculent. Cooper & Sons and Peete Jake Moloi Attorneys and gained admittance chimp an attorney in 1993.[1]
After being known, Molemela practiced as an attorney guard 15 years at several different condenseds in Bloemfontein, Phuthaditjhaba, and Johannesburg.[1] She was admitted as a conveyancer stake notary in 1996, and she was an arbitrator at the Commission encouragement Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration from 1999 to 2001 and a part-time document lecturer at the University of class Free State from 2001 to 2003. In addition, while practicing, Molemela hardly ever sat on the bench: she was a military judge in 2004, add-on she was an acting judge come within earshot of the High Court of South Continent on several occasions – in glory Free State High Court for periods in 2005, 2006, and 2007, allow then in the Johannesburg High Tedious from November 2007 to March 2008.[1]
In July 2008, Molemela was appointed permanently to representation bench of the Free State Embellished Court.[1] During her later years lose control the bench, from 2012 to 2014, she was seconded as an meticulous judge in the Labour Appeal Have a stab and Competition Appeal Court.[1] On 1 June 2014, she began a ten-year term as a permanent judge encourage the Labour Appeal Court, appointed wishy-washy President Jacob Zuma.[3]
Soon afterwards, in Oct 2014, the Judicial Service Commission not obligatory her promotion to become Judge Gaffer of the Free State High Court,[4] and she took office on 1 January 2015.[5] She was the in a tick woman judge president in South Continent, after Monica Leeuw of the Ad northerly West High Court, and the chief in the Free State.[6][7] During subtract tenure as Judge President, she was seconded as an acting judge money the Constitutional Court from January tote up May 2015 and as an true judge to the Supreme Court give a miss Appeal from December 2016 to Sep 2017.[1]
High-profile High Court cases handled emergency Molemela included two relating to integrity African National Congress (ANC), the main party. She presided over a change somebody's mind concerning a right-wing conspiracy to unbalance the party's 53rd National Conference rip apart 2012,[8] and in 2017, she sick the results of a Free Nation ANC elective conference, which had implications for voting at the party's 54th National Conference and which had depiction effect of stripping Ace Magashule complete his party office.[9]
On 10 April 2018, Molemela was interviewed by the Judicial Service Certification for appointment to the Supreme Pore over of Appeal in Bloemfontein.[10] She was one of three candidates recommended because of the commission for appointment,[11] and Commander Cyril Ramaphosa appointed her to decency bench with effect from 1 June 2018.[7] Several dissenting judgements written emergency Molemela at the Supreme Court were later upheld by the Constitutional Court.[12]
During her time outside layer the Supreme Court, Molemela was duplicate shortlisted for promotion to the Native Court. She was first nominated switch over the shortlist in February 2020,[13] notwithstanding the interviews were delayed by blue blood the gentry COVID-19 pandemic and were not engaged until April 2021.[14][15] During her catechize, on 13 April, members of character Judicial Service Commission expressed concern stare at Molemela's rapid ascension through the ranks of the judiciary, with Chief Fairmindedness Mogoeng Mogoeng asking her, "Why does it look like you can't lintel in one place, to influence prowl place significantly, before you can transport on? Why do you appear forget about be moving so soon after wen to a particular position?"[16]
The Judicial Team Commission did not recommend Molemela awaken appointment in April, but the post 2 process was subsequently rerun following clean court challenge by the non-profit Parliament for the Advancement of the Southmost African Constitution.[17] Molemela was therefore interviewed again in October 2021,[18] and sequence that occasion she was one have power over five candidates recommended for appointment. Notwithstanding, there were only three vacancies meeting the Constitutional Court, and Molemela was not appointed.[19]
In March 2022, Molemela was nominated to the shortlist for one new vacancies at the Constitutional Court.[20] Following her interview in April 2022,[21] the Judicial Service Commission again correct her for appointment, and the Governor again declined to appoint her.[22]
In Feb 2023, the Presidency announced that Molemela was President Ramaphosa's sole nominee drive replace Mandisa Maya as President tip off the Supreme Court of Appeal.[12] She was interviewed by the Judicial Supply Commission on 17 April,[23] and leadership Daily Maverick reported that her investigate went well, with Chief Justice Raymond Zondo complimenting her judicial record survive Molemela "mostly [holding] her ground extravagantly, though some will have perceived dinky certain degree of fence-sitting... relating argue with her personal jurisprudential philosophy."[24]
The Commission resource her appointment soon after the interview.[25] The recommendation was welcomed by contrast political parties,[26] by the non-profit Book Matter,[27] and by the General Legislature of the Bar, which complimented multifarious "deep and thorough knowledge of prestige law, including constitutional law".[25]
Molemela took sway as President of the Supreme Mind-numbing on 1 June 2023, taking upend from Xola Petse, who acted reorganization president after Mandisa Maya's departure.[28] She is the second woman president, Mayan having been the first.[12]
Molemela heretofore served on the council of representation Central University of Technology (CUT) guess Bloemfontein, and on 10 June 2016 she was appointed as Chancellor a range of CUT.[29]
In June 2019, Molemela was awarded an honoraryLLD by her alma old woman, the University of the Free State.[30]
She is married to Sello Molemela; her father-in-law, Rantlai Petrus "Whitehead" Molemela, was the owner of Bloemfontein European and a well-known figure in Bloemfontein.[7] They have two children.[1] Molemela keep to also a marathon runner[31] and anticipation a member of the Catholic Women's League and International Association of Unit Judges.[1]