Chief justice Mandisa Maya has described Gauteng deputy judge president Aubrey Ledwaba’s candidacy for the position of judge president of the Gauteng division of the high court as being “shrouded by a dark cloud” due to ongoing allegations of misconduct.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interviewed Ledwaba on Tuesday for the leadership of the Gauteng Division of the High Court. The session was dominated by claims that surfaced at the Madlanga commission of inquiry in October, alleging that Ledwaba had received a R2.5m bribe from Katiso “KT” Molefe, a suspected underworld figure, to ensure he was granted bail last year.
Witnesses identified as “A” and “B” alleged Ledwaba showed undue leniency by granting Molefe R100,000 bail in a case involving the murder of engineer Armand Swart.
Ledwaba firmly dismissed the allegations as “hearsay”.
“I did not take any money in respect of this bail application. I don’t know Molefe at all. I have never met him. I dealt with the matter in the ordinary course of my duties,” Ledwaba said.
Still, the panel pressed him on whether his integrity had been compromised to the point of disqualifying him from the position of deputy judge president.
Ledwaba is the sole candidate and has been acting in the role since judge president Dunstan Mlambo’s promotion to the position of deputy chief justice in August 2025. Since 2013, he has served as the senior deputy judge president, overseeing the Pretoria High Court.
While Ledwaba spent his interview substantiating his qualifications, Maya raised concerns about reputational risks.
“Your candidature is shrouded in this dark cloud, which you don’t deserve,” Maya told Ledwaba. “You’re a good leader, and I’ve worked with you for a long time.”
Objections filed
However, she noted that several bodies have filed objections to his candidacy, raising the question whether the appointment should be stayed until the Madlanga Commission finalises its investigation.
“Your appointment shouldn’t be shrouded in negative chit-chat. Why should we not wait while you continue to act in the position?”
Ledwaba argued that the position must be filled permanently to ensure judicial certainty, even if he is not the one chosen.
“The Gauteng division needs to have a leader,” Ledwaba said. “Not necessarily myself. It is in the interest of the judiciary that there should be certainty about who leads this division.”
He added that he had expected the commission to resolve the matter before the interview date to avoid prejudice. He also said the claims against him should not be viewed as “serious” because they lack corroborating evidence.
“To say these allegations need to be cleared first [before an appointment] is not in the interest of justice,” Ledwaba said.
He has formally requested an opportunity to respond to the claims at the Madlanga commission. When asked why, he said: “My name was mentioned. I also indicated in a letter to the commission that if the allegations are serious, the matter should be reported to the relevant body.”
Ledwaba conceded that while the allegations have the potential to damage the reputation of the courts, the JSC must balance those concerns against the overall integrity and stability of the judiciary.
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