Meet the candidates shortlisted for the IEC: Insights into their backgrounds

The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has published the academic and historical background of the candidates shortlisted to fill the vacancies for three commissioners of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

This move follows calls from civil society for a transparent nomination process, crucial for public trust and engagement in the electoral system.

The calls were made by civil society organisations, such as Corruption Watch and My Vote Counts, which believe that a lack of transparency hampered the meaningful participation and commentary, and deprived the public of the chance to conduct proper due diligence on appointees who will represent their interests.

The public and legal bodies have until tomorrow (July 9) to submit their comments on the nominations.

The tenures of the current chairperson, Mosotho Moepya, and commissioners, Dr Nomsa Masuku and Judge Dhaya Pillay, are expected to end on November 1. 

The three were appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in November 2018.

Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, along with Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, as well as the SA Human Rights Commission and the Commission for Gender Equality, drove the process of nominations, and a shortlist of 12 candidates was released in June.

The list includes Moepya and Pillay. 

Other candidates are Advocate Geraldine Chaplog-Louw, Advocate Richard Sizane, Dr Robert Martin, Dr Rajendran Govendor, Justice Mjabuliseni Madondo, Granville Abrahams, Nkosikhule Nyembezi, Jacqueline Liberty, Joyce Palesa, and Sibongile Sigodi. 

Chaplog-Louw

She has 27 years of experience at the senior management levels of the IEC. She has been involved in every national and provincial election, as well as local elections, since 1994. Her current responsibilities are in the area of governance and oversight.  

Chaplog-Louw holds various academic qualifications spanning competencies in accounting, financial management, economics, philosophy, law, and corporate governance. 

Sizane

He is the former chairperson of the Public Service Commission, who served from 2015 until January 2022. He was also appointed as an ex officio commissioner of the Presidential Remuneration Review Commission. Sizane, a former lecturer in Constitutional law, also served on the Justice, Constitutional Affairs, and Public Administration Portfolio Committees of the National Assembly and was a member of the Constitutional Assembly.

He also served as a deputy director-general of the then National Department of Provincial and Local Government, as well as the director-general of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial administration.

Sizane was appointed as the chairperson of the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel in May 2024, with the primary function of considering and proposing possible reforms to the national and provincial electoral systems. 

Martin

He has over 20 years of executive and senior management experience in higher education, as well as most areas of strategic and general management in both private and public sectors. He holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship and was the deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Venda. 

Govender

He holds a string of academic and professional qualifications, including a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as a Post Doctoral Research Fellowship from Columbia University in New York, where he developed a leadership programme for 11 African countries. He has over four decades of experience spanning education, cultural affairs, social cohesion advocacy, and community leadership. Govender is currently a commissioner at the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission). 

Madondo

He served as a public prosecutor, commissioner at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), and the Deputy Judge President of the KwaZulu-Natal division of the High Court. Madondo also served as an acting justice of the Constitutional Court.

Abrahams

He has been with the IEC for 27 years, culminating in his role as general manager of electoral operations. He was also the founding employee of the IEC in the Western Cape in 1998, where he played a vital role in establishing electoral infrastructure and operations. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Cape and has completed executive training in strategic leadership, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence from institutions such as the University of Pretoria and the University of Cape Town.

Nyembezi

He is a policy analyst, a researcher, and a human rights activist, with no party-political profile. He has served as co-chairperson of the National Coordinating Forum and has also helped facilitate inputs from various communities and individuals in the Moerane Commission of Inquiry investigating political killings in KZN. 

Liberty

She has extensive parliamentary experience at a senior administrative level, developing policies and training manuals for members and staff.

Pitso

Pitso served as deputy manager of electoral matters for the IEC in KZN, and she was responsible for coordinating electoral operations, training, and political party liaison. Her journey began in 1994 with the interim IEC. 

Segodi

She served as head of legal and executive services in the Presidency in February 2007. She also worked as the manager of legal services at the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in 2004. 

The interviews are expected to be held on July 21 and 22, 2025.

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za