A dearth of candidates has repeatedly left the Judicial Service Commission unable to fill a post created by the retirement of Justice Sisi Khampepe This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail & Guardian is committed to providing all our readers with the best possible experience. Please register your free account now. Your registration is your first step to becoming an M&G community member. Register Registration enables: – M&G newsletters access – notifications – the best possible experience Already registered? Login here Want to subscribe and get even more benefits? Explore our subscription offers

The deputy chief justice also called for the court to be allowed to sit in panels and for full administrative and financial independence for the judiciary

The interviews were brought forward after Freedom Under Law warned that the commission was breaching a high court order by scheduling these for June

The failure by the Judicial Service Commission, an organisation chaired by the chief justice, risked undermining respect for the rule of law, the group said