August 2020

How should the Court be staffed? The Court was also in the position to hire new staff ranging from cleaners, accounting clerks, administrative clerks, personal assistants, librarians and security. The judges decided that the Court should have as diverse a staff as possible. First group of administrative staff of the Constitutional Court. Back row [L-R]: …

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How should the judgments be written? We took a decision very early on to use simple language, we wanted our judgments to be understood not only by lawyers and academics but by women and men in the street and we decided for that reason to outlaw Latin phrases. Why use Latin when you can use …

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What kind of institutional culture should be created? Justice Kriegler, Chief Justice Chaskalson and Justice Sachs in the Constitutional Court. Gallo Images / Robbie Schneider From the very first meetings, collegiality defined the culture of the Constitutional Court. The judges referred to each other as ‘brother’ and ‘sister’, a practice that still exists today. This …

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What would the judges wear? Dikgang Moseneke, then Deputy Chief Justice, wearing the specially designed green robe with red and black trim. Lwando Xaso The 11 Justices of the Constitutional Court. Back row, left to right: Justice Madala, Justice Sachs, Justice Ackermann, Justice Yacoob (appointed 1998), Justice O’Regan, Justice Ngcobo (appointed in 1999), Justice Goldstone. …

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Should there be any hierarchy amongst the judges? Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson, (first referred to as the President of the Court), would preside and his deputy would sit on his right.  The Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice would always sit in the middle of the bench whilst the rest of the judges would …

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What is the Court’s new symbol? The Court’s logo, a tree sheltering people sitting beneath it, is a representation of the traditional African concept of justice under a tree. It signified the protection of people’s rights in the new South Africa. Constitutional Court Library. Traditionally, the symbol of justice around the world, which has roots in …

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