President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Judge Margaret Victor as Special Tribunal president with effect from Friday, for a period of three years.

The Special Tribunal has a statutory mandate to recover public funds syphoned from the fiscus through corruption, fraud and illicit money flows.

Special tribunals differ from ordinary civil proceedings, which Ramaphosa described as adversarial in nature.

Special tribunals adopt a more flexible and expeditious approach to legal actions and its proceedings are inquisitorial in nature and characterised by extensive pre-trial investigations.

Ramaphosa also appointed members of the Special Tribunal, which include Eastern Cape Division of the High Court Judge Thandi Victoria Norman; Gauteng Division of the High Court Judge David Makhoba; Mpumalanga Division of the High Court Judge Brian A Mashile; North West Division of the High Court Judge Andre Henry Petersen and Western Cape Division of the High Court Judge Chantel Moira Jennifer Fortuin.

Ramaphosa has made these appointments in terms of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunal Act of 1996 and following consultation with Chief Justice Mandisa Maya.