Ronnie Bosielo

Lebotsang Orphan "Ronnie" Bosielo (19 August 1957 – 15 May 2018) was a South African judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Formerly a judge of the High Court of South Africa, he served in the appellate court from October 2009 until his death in May 2018. He was an acting judge in the Constitutional Court in 2012 and 2016, and he was thrice nominated unsuccessfully for permanent appointment to the apex court.

Born in Johannesburg, Bosielo grew up in the North West Province, where he practised as an attorney between 1986 and 1998. Thereafter he practised briefly as an advocate in Johannesburg before he was appointed to the Gauteng Division of the High Court in January 2001.

Early life and education Bosielo was born on 19 August 1957 in Sophiatown in Johannesburg. He grew up in the present-day North West Province, matriculating at the Lerothodi High School in Bethanie in 1977. Thereafter he went on to the University of the North, where he completed a BJurius in 1981 and an LLB in 1983. ''' the second acquittal was upheld in the Namibian Supreme Court.

Bosielo also served as acting Judge President of the Northern Cape High Court from 2007 to 2008 and as an acting judge in the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2009. The commission submitted its report in November 2010.

Supreme Court of Appeal: 2009–2018 In mid-2009, Bosielo was one of four candidates who was shortlisted for possible elevation to the Supreme Court of Appeal; he was interviewed by the Judicial Service Commission in July that year in Cape Town. He and Frans Malan were the two candidates whom the commission recommended for elevation, and he joined the Supreme Court bench on 1 October 2009.

Constitutional Court nominations During his service in the Supreme Court of Appeal, Bosielo was thrice nominated unsuccessfully for possible elevation to the Constitutional Court. He was first interviewed for the apex court in June 2012, as one of four candidates, alongside Raymond Zondo, Mandisa Maya, and Robert Nugent, for the vacancy created by Sandile Ngcobo's resignation. The Judicial Service Commission recommended all four candidates as suitable for appointment, but President Jacob Zuma elected to appoint Zondo.

Bosielo was next shortlisted and interviewed in February 2013, one of five candidates for Zak Yacoob's seat on the Constitutional Court, and he was again recommended for appointment on that occasion, alongside Brian Spilg, Selby Baqwa, and Mbuyiseli Madlanga. However, President Zuma again declined to appoint him, elevating Madlanga instead.

Finally, in October 2016, Bosielo was the most senior of four candidates shortlisted to succeed Johann van der Westhuizen on the Constitutional Court; the other candidates were Steven Majiedt, Malcolm Wallis, and Jody Kollapen. However, his interview with the Judicial Service Commission was diverted by discussion of a complaint which had recently been lodged with the commission and which related to Bosielo's involvement in a black economic empowerment deal with mining company Northam Platinum in his home village of Phalane, North West. His wife was a director in a connected company, but he denied that he had personally benefited from the deal. However, two commissioners – politician Julius Malema and Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng – suggested that Bosielo ought to resolve the complaint before availing himself for Constitutional Court service, and, after intense questioning, Bosielo agreed to withdraw from contention. His funeral was held at the Calvary Methodist Church in Midrand.

He was married to Shirley Bosielo and had two children.