This round of interviews will also present a good test of how the JSC's new process deals with potentially contentious candidates.

Next week, between 2 and 6 October, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) meets for the second of its two annual sittings. Several important positions are up for grabs.

Candidates will be interviewed to fill four positions on the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), the second-highest court in the country.

Several long-standing vacancies should be filled, including the Deputy Judge President of the Labour and Labour Appeal Courts, a position that has stood open for several years. And for the first time in almost 10 years, candidates will be interviewed to fill permanent positions on the Labour Appeal Court.

So, this round of appointments is important. JSC interviews always are, because of the key role that judges play in our constitutional democracy, and how important this makes it that the best candidates available are appointed.

The JSC has been strongly criticised for how it has gone about fulfilling this role.

It has been accused of not assessing candidates properly, of misapplying the constitutional requirement to diversify the judiciary, and of treating candidates unfairly.

With interviews taking place in the full glare of the public, this may well have had the effect of discouraging candidates from coming forward.

Another major concern...