Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya has been given the nod by President Cyril Ramaphosa to lead the country's judiciary come September.

South Africa looks set to get its first female Chief Justice when the term of the incumbent, Raymond Zondo, ends on 31 August.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Presidency announced that Deputy Chief Justice Mandisa Maya would be President Cyril Ramaphosa's nomination to succeed Chief Justice Zondo.

"President Ramaphosa has invited the leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly to make submissions on the suitability or otherwise of Deputy Chief Justice Maya to hold the office of Chief Justice," the statement read.

In reality, however, this is something of a box-ticking exercise.

Although the President is constitutionally required to consult on the appointment, he has -- to quote judicial watchdog Judges Matter -- "far more discretion in choosing the Chief Justice than with other judges".

And while Ramaphosa's consultation must be "meaningful", Judges Matter notes that "the President is not bound to follow the input received from other political leaders, or even from the JSC [Judicial Service Commission] itself".

Maya a previous favourite of the JSC

In nominating just one candidate for Chief Justice, Ramaphosa may be hoping to avoid a repeat of the borderline chaotic scenes that erupted in 2022 when it became...