The long-awaited Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interviews for posts on the Constitutional Court began with a private session in Kliptown, Soweto, on Sunday morning.

Some of the country's top judicial minds had gathered to conduct the interviews for jobs in the country's highest court.

Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, Chief Justice Pius Langa and politicians Patricia de Lille and Ngoako Ramatlhodi were among those present.

Judge Sandile Ngcobo waited downstairs, greeting some of the members of the public who had chosen to attend the open interviews. President Jacob Zuma nominated him as candidate for chief justice to succeed Langa at retirement.

Cape Judge President John Hlophe, fresh from a controversy which involved the Constitutional Court judges, was expected to be interviewed later on Sunday.

JSC officials did not want to elaborate on what the private session was about.

Kliptown was the setting for the drafting of the Freedom Charter, which formed the basis of South Africa's Constitution.