President Ramaphosa celebrates as South African law professor gets ICJ appointment
It is another moment of joy for South Africans as professor Dire Tladi, a University of Pretoria law professor, made history by becoming the first South African elected as a judge at the United Nations International Court of Justice in the Hague.
The country recently won the Rugby World Cup in France and this is another moment to celebrate.
The South African is one of five judges who were elected on Thursday by the UN’s General Assembly and the Security Council for nine-year terms, starting from February, 2024.
Professor Dire Tladi was able to scale through as three other African candidates from Zambia, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo were not chosen for the position.
While reacting to the historic success, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on his X page that seeing a South African taking up such a position is a personal achievement in which the nation shares with great pride.
Ramaphosa appreciated the confidence expressed by the United Nations in Prof Tladi’s capabilities.
He said, “Prof Tladi’s election as a judge of the International Court of Justice is an outstanding personal achievement in which the nation shares with great pride. We appreciate the confidence expressed by the United Nations in Prof Tladi’s capabilities.
“He becomes the newest member of a fraternity of South Africans globally who are in positions of service to the international community and making important contributions to the better world we seek to build.
“We wish Prof Tladi well as he prepares to contribute to the Court and its jurisprudence from the Palace of Peace in The Hague, Netherlands.”
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the UN’s main judicial body, giving legal assistance to UN organisations and resolving legal disputes between countries.
