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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has shortlisted 16 candidates, among them five Bulawayo lawyers, to be interviewed for the eight positions on the High Court bench.
The 16 shortlisted candidates were selected from 43 nominees after passing last week’s pre-interview test.
They will participate in the final stage of interviews to be conducted on July 8 and July 9 in Harare.
The five Bulawayo candidates shortlisted for the interviews are chief public prosecutor Mrs Tariro Rosa Takuva, Labour Court judge Justice Evangelista Kabasa, Mr Christopher Dube, a senior Partner at Dube-Banda Nzarayapenga Legal Practioners, Mr Simba Mawere and Mr Bongani Ndlovu.
The interviews will be open to the media and members of the public.
In a statement yesterday, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) said the 16 candidates will battle it out for the eight positions on the High Court bench after passing the first stage of the interviews.
“Following the invitations to members of the public and to His Excellency, the President, to nominate suitably qualified persons to be appointed as judges of the High Court, in terms of section 180 (4) of the Constitution, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) received 43 valid nominations for candidates who underwent the first stage of the interviews on June 24, 2019.
“Pursuant to these interviews, and starting at 9AM on Monday July 8, 2019 and Tuesday July 9, 2019 at Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare, the commission will conduct the final stage of interviews for the sixteen candidates who were successful in the first stage of the interviews,” read the statement.
JSC deputy secretary Mr Sithembinkosi Msipa said prior to the interviews, they forwarded the names of the prospective candidates to the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) for scrutiny to ensure that the commission recruits judges who would not engage in corruption and other malpractices.
The JSC is on a drive to bring justice closer to the people and ensure that matters are heard on time. Recently, it opened a permanent High Court in Masvingo and Mutare bringing to four the number of permanent High Court stations after Harare and Bulawayo.
There are plans to open similar courts in Gweru.
Last month, the Supreme Court opened a registry in Bulawayo to cater for litigants from the southern part of the country in line with the Government’s commitment to implement the constitutional provision on devolution and decentralisation of services.
The JSC is planning to set up a permanent Supreme Court in Bulawayo soon after completing the ongoing decentralisation of the High Court.
The Supreme Court permanently sits in Harare and goes on circuit in Bulawayo thrice per year. – @mashnets
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