One of the candidates vying for a position on the Gauteng High Court Bench has told the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) that it has to set an example and appoint female judges. 

Advocate Allyson Crutchfield SC told the JSC on Tuesday during the interview that the struggle of women in the legal profession was "huge".

She added that the JSC was one of the most important bodies when it came to enabling women to enter and stay in the legal profession.  

"We are struggling to see women enter the profession [and] find themselves in a position where they are still practising 10 years, 15 years later." 

She also said the range of work given to women was not enough.

"This commission has to set an example and appoint female judges ... [women] are equally competent," she said.

Crutchfield has acted in the High Court for 70 weeks in unopposed and opposed motion court. She also did civil trials and full-court appeals. 

This was Crutchfield's second appearance before the JSC this year. She first appeared in April in her bid to clinch a position as a judge, and was interviewed by the JSC.

The JSC also interviewed attorney Noluntu Nellisa Bam who has a diverse career in commercial law, as well as several years as the Ombudsman for the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services.

Bam said she would bring to the bench "the sum total of what I have learnt in terms of dealing with people". 

President of the Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Mandisa Maya said Bam had rare skills that South African courts "desperately need". 

"What has been the secret of your success?" Maya asked.  

Responding, Bam said, "I don't know if there is a secret, more than hard work, determination, and refusal to be held back from exploring things that you are interested in. I was taught by Justice Maya in my early years of studying the law. We salivated receiving a female lecturer."

Meanwhile, advocate Daniel De Villiers SC, who like Crutchfield was being interviewed for the second time, said he was disappointed when he was not successful in April, but was back to convince the commissioners to nominate him. 

De Villiers has written more than 80 judgments. He said he had never had to reserve a judgment for more than three months.  

De Villers told the JSC that he had "grown enormously" as a result of the opportunities Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo had given him.   

The interviews continue.