About Office of the Chief Justice South Africa

The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) is a national department in South Africa established to provide administrative and technical support to the Chief Justice as the Head of the Judiciary. Manages superior courts, including the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, and various divisions of the High Court.

Minimum Requirements

1. Applicants should be in possession of a Grade 12, a minimum of one year secretarial experience.
2. A valid driver’s license.
3. An LLB degree or a minimum of 20 modules completed towards an LLB, BA Law or BCom Law degree will serve as an added advantage (results must accompany the application).
4. Secretarial experience in a legal/court environment will serve as an added advantage.
5. Shortlisted candidates will be required to pass a typing test. All shortlisted candidates shall undertake a pre-entry practical exercise as part of the assessment method to determine the candidate’s suitability based on the post’s technical and generic requirements.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide general secretarial/administrative duties to the judge. Typing (or formatting) of draft memoranda decisions, opinions or judgment entries written by, or assigned by the judge.
• Manage and type correspondence, judgments and orders for the judge (including dictaphone typing). Arrange and diarise appointments, meetings and official visits. Make travel and accommodation arrangements.
• Store, keep and safeguard all case files and update the case files with the order made by the judge. Update files and documents and provide copies of documents to the registrar.
• Perform digital recording of court proceedings on urgent cases after hours and ensure the integrity of such recordings. Accompany the judge to court. Manage the judge’s vehicle, logbook and the driving thereof.
• Compile data and prepare reports and documents for the judge as necessary including expense reports, financial disclosure statements and case management. Arrange refreshments for the judge and his/her visitors and attend to their needs.
• Manage the judge’s library and the updating of documentation.
• Execute legal research as directed by the judge and comply with all departmental prescripts, policies, procedures and guidelines.