PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA AND JUDICIARY LEADERS UNITE TO STRENGTHEN JUSTICE SYSTEM

• In a joint resolve to uphold the Constitution, the Executive and Judiciary reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening justice and expanding access for all.
• Meeting at Mahlamba Ndlopfu, South Africa’s top judicial and executive leaders addressed the critical infrastructure, independence, and capacity needs of the court system.
• ⁠This collaborative dialogue comes just days before the Constitutional Court marks its 30th anniversary—reinforcing national commitment to judicial transformation.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, joined by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi and Deputy Minister Andries Nel, hosted a high-level engagement with Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and Heads of Court at Mahlamba Ndlopfu, the President’s official residence in Pretoria.
The meeting brought together the Executive and the Judiciary to reaffirm their joint commitment to building a stronger, more accessible justice system rooted in the Constitution.
Also present were Ministers Khumbudzo Ntshavheni (Presidency), Enoch Godongwana (Finance), Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi (Public Service and Administration), and Dean Macpherson (Public Works and Infrastructure). Chief Justice Maya was supported by senior members of the Judiciary, including Justice Mahube Molemela (President of the Supreme Court of Appeal), and Judge Presidents Cagney Musi (Free State), Dunstan Mlambo (Gauteng), and Pule Tlaletsi (Northern Cape).
The engagement built on previous meetings between Chief Justice Maya and Minister Kubayi, who is leading a multi-departmental initiative to address longstanding challenges raised by the Judiciary.
Key issues under discussion included judicial infrastructure, human resource constraints, court security, and reinforcing the independence of the Judiciary. These matters are being prioritised in partnership with the Ministers of Finance, Public Works and Infrastructure, and Public Service and Administration.
“Within the principle of the separation of powers, each arm of the State has a responsibility to cooperate with, and provide support to, the other arms of the State in giving full effect to our Constitution,” said President Ramaphosa. “It is an opportunity to develop common approaches on issues that are critical to the effective functioning of the Judiciary.”
The President emphasised that the Executive’s role includes creating an environment where the Judiciary can fulfil its mandate without obstruction. He reaffirmed the State’s duty to uphold the institutional independence of the Judiciary and ensure it has the resources to administer justice effectively.
The discussions also advanced the agenda to unify South Africa’s Judiciary into a single, independent institution, while enhancing the capacity of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Appeal, and High Courts.
Chief Justice Maya welcomed the open tone of the engagement and the willingness of the Executive to respond to the practical needs of the court system. “This meeting is significant in that it happened days before we are due to host dignitaries of the Judiciary from across the globe, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Constitutional Court on the 20th of this month,” she said.
Today’s engagement marks a renewed determination to transform South Africa’s justice sector into one that is resilient, independent, and accessible to all.