Ramaphosa hails Constitutional Court as pillar of South African democracy
President Ramaphosa has hailed the Constitutional Court as a living monument to justice, celebrating 30 years of defending democracy, dignity, and equality from the historic grounds of Constitution Hill..
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday paid tribute to South Africa's Constitutional Court, calling it 'a national treasure' and 'a living monument to justice' as it marked its 30th anniversary on the historic grounds of Constitution Hill.
Speaking from the steps of the former prison where freedom fighters were once jailed, and where the apex court now stands, Ramaphosa hailed the Court as the soul of the nation's constitutional democracy.
He was speaking at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, on Friday.
'Built on the ruins of oppression,' he said, 'this Court rose as a guardian of dignity, equality, and justice. It has not only interpreted the Constitution—it has given it life.'
Reflecting on the adoption of the Constitution in 1996, which he helped usher in as Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly, Ramaphosa described the ConCourt's legacy as 'one of courage, clarity and conscience.'
'The Constitutional Court has not bowed to power. It has defended the powerless. From abolishing the death penalty to upholding the rights of the poor, the marginalised, and the forgotten—its judgments have changed lives,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
‘Money will be made available': Ramaphosa plans to make judiciary fully independent
A joint committee is now in action to finalise the process of the independence of the judiciary. Plans are underway to make South Africa's judiciary fully independent, enabling it to manage its own administration and finances, says President Cyril Ramaphosa. He was speaking during an event marking the 30th anniversary of the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) in Braamfontein on Friday. The announcement follows a recent meeting between the president and members of the judiciary, led by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya. While the judiciary is constitutionally recognised as one of the three arms of government – alongside the executive and the legislature – its administrative functions currently fall under the department of justice and constitutional development. Ramaphosa on judiciary's independence In his address, Ramaphosa emphasised the need for structural reforms to ensure the judiciary can carry out its duties independently and effectively. He referred to the judiciary's 2022/2023 annual report, which outlined challenges the ConCourt faces in meeting case finalisation targets. 'This is no doubt owing to the significant volume of cases the court is dealing with,' Ramaphosa said. 'Enhancing access to justice and improving court services has been allocated for in this year's budget and there have been increases for improving superior court services, for judicial education and support, for the filling of vacant posts and to address other funding shortfalls.' ALSO READ: Will performance of ConCourt improve in 2025? The president said that a dedicated team has been established to develop an action plan to be finalised six weeks from now. 'A joint committee is now in action to finalise this whole process of the independence of the judiciary. 'It has been an anomaly of our constitutional architecture that we've had parliament as an independent institution in our constitution fully and properly recognised, and the executive – but the judiciary has on an unfair basis had to depend on government on a variety of matters from getting approval on the appointment of people and not even being in complete control of their own budget,' said Ramaphosa. 'This comes to an end now. The judiciary will be independent. We will ensure the judiciary is rightly constituted as an equal branch of the state, same level as the executive and the legislature.' The promise of the Constitution is far from fully realised. Persistent inequality, threats to judicial independence, lack of implementation of court orders, and erosion of trust in institutions remain pressing challenges. — Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) June 20, 2025 Budget constraints and funding strategy Speaking to the media, Ramaphosa highlighted the current fiscal challenges facing the country, but reiterated government's commitment to financially support judicial independence. 'Money is getting tighter and tighter because our fiscal situation is challenged with the lackluster growth of our economy. 'So the revenues that come into government are becoming slimmer and slimmer. However, we do need to empower various arms of the state. 'Parliament is one, the judiciary is one and the executive of course plays a leading role of the arms of the state,' the president said. READ MORE: 'Unacceptable': Judiciary budget constraints, shortage of judges and backlogs He stressed that despite budgetary constraints, funds will be made available to allow the judiciary full control over its operations. 'Money will be made available and of course to the extent that we are able to mobilise the resources as we grow the economy, the judiciary will have the money and they will be in control just as parliament is in control of its own budget. 'They will be able to embark on infrastructure projects, administrative capability, training and all those without having to always go ask for permission.' Proposals for reform The ConCourt came under criticism last year for not delivering judgments within the prescribed timeframes. The judicial norms and standards require judges to issue rulings within three months of a hearing or trial conclusion However, most courts, including the ConCourt, have often exceeded this deadline, with some judgments delayed for over six months. Several proposals have been put forward to improve the ConCourt's efficiency including amending the Constitution to permit smaller panels of three judges – rather than the full bench of 11 – to hear new applications. NOW READ: 'Free' judges, lack of resources: Hlophe bemoans judicial 'nightmare' after budget cuts
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
Ramaphosa hails Constitutional Court as pillar of South African democracy
President Ramaphosa has hailed the Constitutional Court as a living monument to justice, celebrating 30 years of defending democracy, dignity, and equality from the historic grounds of Constitution Hill.. President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday paid tribute to South Africa's Constitutional Court, calling it 'a national treasure' and 'a living monument to justice' as it marked its 30th anniversary on the historic grounds of Constitution Hill. Speaking from the steps of the former prison where freedom fighters were once jailed, and where the apex court now stands, Ramaphosa hailed the Court as the soul of the nation's constitutional democracy. He was speaking at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, on Friday. 'Built on the ruins of oppression,' he said, 'this Court rose as a guardian of dignity, equality, and justice. It has not only interpreted the Constitution—it has given it life.' Reflecting on the adoption of the Constitution in 1996, which he helped usher in as Chairperson of the Constitutional Assembly, Ramaphosa described the ConCourt's legacy as 'one of courage, clarity and conscience.' 'The Constitutional Court has not bowed to power. It has defended the powerless. From abolishing the death penalty to upholding the rights of the poor, the marginalised, and the forgotten—its judgments have changed lives,' he said.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
President Ramaphosa celebrates 30 years of the Constitutional Court's role in safeguarding democracy
. President Cyril Ramaphosa reflected on the Concourt's remarkable contributions to freedom, dignity, and social justice. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers From ensuring same sex marriages, access to HIV/Aids treatment, to ensuring social justice is affirmed, the country's Constitutional Court, which on Friday celebrated 30 years of existence, has been hailed for its contribution to the country's constitutional democracy. President Cyril Ramaphosa reflected on the apex court's contribution to freedom, dignity, and justice during his keynote address at the court's headquarters at Constitution Hill, Braamfontein.. Ramaphosa also extended his gratitude to all the Chief Justices and Senior Justices who have led the highest court in the land over the past three decades. Over the years, the court has handed down some judgments that have had a profound impact on the law in South Africa, including the abolishment of the death penalty in 1995, the 2002 right to health care and access to HIV/Aids treatment, the 2004 right of access to social security by permanent residents, among many others. "When the Constitutional Court was established 30 years ago, it was a bold response to a history that had denied the majority of South Africans basic human rights. The court was tasked with safeguarding the Constitution of 1996. Each role was deeply symbolic, and it acted as a symbol of a bold, immortal legal compass. This court was established and built on the grounds of former president Nelson Mandela to embody and become an instrument of justice," he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The Constitutional Court, led by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, commemorates 30 years today since its establishment Image: Kamogelo Moichela Ramaphosa intimated that when the Concourt was established by former statesman Nelson Mandela, it sought to ensure that all South Africans' basic human rights were protected as enshrined in the guiding document called the Constitution. "As we cast our minds back to May 1996, when our Constitution was established, and in my capacity as the chairperson. It became our nation's birth certificate, reflecting a history we have emerged from, built on the values of dignity, equality, and freedom. It sought to affirm the identity and legality of every human being... "Just as a parent would attend to the health of their child, the establishment of the court allowed it to be free, as it was born of struggle and hope. "We believe that never again shall South Africa be governed without equality, dignity, and justice for all. This court has contributed not just judicial validation but has also elevated the consciousness of our people and contributed to building trust in our legal and judicial system. It has also contributed to advancing social cohesion and reconciliation, which has been enhanced by this court through its judgments, ensuring that all people are treated fairly, while promising a sense of belonging to all citizens," he added.
