Professor DIRE TLADI is set to be sworn in as a judge at the ICJ

Monday, February 5, 2024 – Professor Dire Tladi will be sworn in as a judge of the International Court of Justice after being elected by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

Tladi will serve a term of nine years as a member of the ICJ.

The ICJ said Tladi will be sworn in on Tuesday at The Hague and he will be joined by Bogdan-Lucian Aurescue of Romania, Juan Manuel Gomez Robledo Verduzco of Mexico and Sarah Hull of the US as new judges of the World Court.

Tladi, who was professor of international law at the University of Pretoria, has served in many roles in government and outside.

He previously served as special adviser to the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation and legal adviser to the South African mission in New York.

The UN elected the four new members in November last year and they will now serve as judges of the ICJ.

The ICJ confirmed a few days ago that the court will sit on Tuesday for the swearing in of Tladi, Aurescue, Verduzco and Hull.

“During the sitting, they will each make the solemn declaration provided for in article 20 of the statute of the court, which stipulates that members shall, before taking up their duties, make a solemn declaration in open court that they will exercise their powers impartially and conscientiously. The members’ nine-year terms of office will begin the same day,“ said the ICJ.

When he was elected to the top UN court, President Cyril Ramaphosa had said Tladi was an outstanding jurist.

“Professor 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,” said Ramaphosa at the time.

South Africa recently won its case in the ICJ where it challenged Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Pretoria had sought provisional measures against Israel to stop the killing of Palestinians.

More than 27,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October last year when Hamas attacked Israel.

The UN and other humanitarian organisations have called for Israel to stop the attacks and allow more aid into the besieged city.

Pandor said last week she hoped the global community will put pressure on Israel to stop the attacks.