Judge Mandisa Maya is set to lead South Africa's judiciary for the next 10 years after the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on Tuesday 21 May recommended her appointment to President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The year was 2011, and just one candidate had been put forward by then-president Jacob Zuma to be interviewed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for the post of South Africa's Chief Justice.

That was Judge Mogoeng Mogoeng, whose nomination had caused horror from many sections of the legal establishment, the press, and a social media platform which was just beginning to spread serious tentacles across the country: Twitter.

The Mogoeng-focused consternation was well-founded. For one thing, there was an eminently suitable candidate for the post who had been overlooked for a second time: then Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke.

For another, Mogoeng's prejudiced views on homosexuality, his questionable judgments in sexual violence matters and his habit of stirring lavish seasonings of religion into his jurisprudence were by then well known.

Moseneke, who was chairing the JSC session, summed up the concerns in advance: "We have gender sensitivity, we have homophobia, we have the issue of religious faith," he said at the outset.

Little wonder that the hearings were accompanied by protests outside the venue from activists.

What is more surreal, looking back, is what a public spectacle the hearings were - deliberately held over a Saturday and Sunday...