University of Pretoria law professor Dire Tladi has made history by becoming the first South African elected as a judge at the UN International Court of Justice.

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday hailed Prof Tladi’s election as “an outstanding personal achievement in which the nation shares with great pride”.

He is one of five judges who were elected on Thursday by the UN’s General Assembly and the Security Council for nine-year terms, beginning February next year.

ICJ is the UN’s main judicial body, providing legal advice to UN agencies and settling legal disputes between countries.

To be elected, candidates must secure an absolute majority in both the General Assembly and Security Council.

Three other African candidates from Zambia, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo were not selected for the position