In succeeding Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the former appellate court president will become the first woman to head the judiciary

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 hearing of the IEC’s appeal to the electoral court’s finding that Zuma was eligible for parliament saw a tense exchange between counsel and the bench

The former president’s legal team alleged a reasonable fear of bias but faced an uphill battle in persuading judges to recuse themselves from deciding if he is eligible for parliament

The deputy chief justice is now likely to become the first woman to head the South African judiciary 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