It’s been thirty years. Thirty years since the Constitutional Court of South Africa opened its doors to a nation still reeling from the brutality of apartheid, still trembling with the hope of freedom, still unsure if justice could truly belong to all of us.
And yet, from those early days in 1994 until now, this Apex Court has quietly — and sometimes boldly — rewritten the meaning of democracy. Today, we celebrate not just the longevity of an institution, but the lifeblood of our constitutional democracy.
When the Court first sat, its opening act was nothing short of revolutionary. The landmark ruling in S v Makwanyane abolished the death penalty. Just like that, a new nation declared that no matter your crime, your life had value. The judgment echoed with the words of our Constitution — dignity, equality, and the right to life — and it set the tone for everything that would follow. This was no ordinary court. It was our country’s moral compass.
Over the past three decades, the Constitutional Court has become a powerful force for the people. In the Grootboom case, the right to housing was affirmed not in theory, but in law — a recognition that democracy means very little if people have no shelter.
When the government delayed life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment, the Court, in the Treatment Action Campaign case, forced their hand, ruling in favour of the people’s right to health and to life. These weren’t just wins in courtrooms — they were lifelines for the most vulnerable among us.
We’ve watched the Court grow into a fierce protector of LGBTQ+ rights, with judgments like National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality v Minister of Justice dismantling apartheid-era sodomy laws and affirming the dignity of queer people in a society that had long denied their humanity.
We saw it challenge executive power in President v Hugo, reinforcing the message that not even the President is above the Constitution. Time and again, this Court chose the side of the people. It chose justice.
And now, we stand in awe under the leadership of Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, South Africa’s first woman Chief Justice — a groundbreaking moment in every possible way. Her journey from rural Eastern Cape to the highest bench in the land is not just her story, it is our story. It is the story of young Black girls in villages across the country who dare to dream. It is the story of what happens when the Constitution is not just ink on paper but a lived promise.
Chief Justice Maya’s leadership brings with it a new era of gender transformation in the legal space. For far too long, our judiciary echoed the patriarchy of our politics. But with her leadership, the court continues to evolve into a more representative body — one that mirrors the diversity and brilliance of this nation.
She stands on the shoulders of giants — Chaskalson, Langa, Ngcobo, Mogoeng, Zondo — and yet, she is forging a path all her own. She is not just a Chief Justice; she is a symbol of what’s possible when equity and excellence meet.
As we look back on thirty years, we remember the legal heroes who carried us through the darkest hours and the bravest rulings. We remember the judgments that shifted not only our laws but our society. We remember the courage it took to say: no more death penalty. No more injustice cloaked as legality. No more silence in the face of suffering.
But we also look forward. Forward to a judiciary that continues to hold the line when others fail. Forward to a country where the rule of law isn’t just a principle but a lived reality. Forward to a generation of young people who now see themselves reflected in the highest echelons of justice — not as an exception, but as the expectation.
Thirty years of the Constitutional Court is not just a celebration. It is a recommitment. To the Constitution. To justice. To a South Africa where every person matters. May the next thirty years be even bolder. May the Court continue to be the conscience of our democracy. And may we never forget that this institution belongs to the people — not to the powerful, but to the people.
Happy 30th anniversary to the Constitutional Court — our nation’s enduring proof that justice is not only possible; it is necessary.
