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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today is a very special day for me and my family. I want to say thank you to this country for being so kind to me. Indeed, South Africa is a country of great possibilities. It is a country where somebody can be in prison for 27 years and come out of that to be president of the country. Indeed, it is a country where somebody without formal education can rise to be president of the country. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a country where a boy from a rural village who fetched firewood, put them on his head to bring them home to the family, a boy who fetched water from a spring and climbed a hill to take it home so the family could cook and wash, a boy who looked after goats and cattle, who did stick-fighting, a boy raised by a single parent, a great and resilient woman, can rise and become a Chief Justice of his country. I am aware it’s not only me; Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng came from as humble beginnings. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He said of our time at the University of Zululand that it was obvious that we were very poor – “poverty was written on our foreheads”. He used to wear overalls for most of the time and that was not because he liked overalls but that was part of the poverty that I think he received from his father. He, too, rose from those humble beginnings. The contribution he made to the judiciary in building it is immense: the structures he put in place continue to operate. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of those present will not forget his Nkandla judgment, which in my view and in the view of many, helped to stop the country as it was sliding further down. President Mandela appointed me a judge of the Labour Court and also a judge of the then Transvaal Provincial Division. President Mbeki appointed me Judge President of the Labour Appeal Court. President Zuma appointed me a judge of the Constitutional Court and subsequently a deputy chief justice (I wonder if he’s happy). President Zuma also appointed me head of the State Capture Commission. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2328895\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ferial-Zondo-Outgoing-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Zondo\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1376\" /> <em>Raymond Zondo (Retired Chief Justice of South Africa) interacts with guests during the farewell dinner for Chief Justice Raymond Zondo at Marriot Hotel Melrose Arch on August 20, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The celebratory dinner, was held in tribute to the Chief Justice, who is retiring at the end of August 2024 after a distinguished judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">President Ramaphosa appointed me Chief Justice and I thank him for having confidence in me to lead the judiciary. It was an extraordinary opportunity I was given. My term was short and I wish it was longer, but our Constitution and jurisprudence are clear that [there] may not be an extension. I have sought to uphold the Constitution and fight for the independence of the judiciary. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout my time I have been clear in my own mind that it was my duty to do so even if it caused me to (make) enemies. When one chooses appointment as a judicial office, whether magistrate or judge, one has to appreciate the honour that goes with that. Society makes you one of those who tells it when things get out of line: from the poorest to the richest; from the powerless to the most powerful. That we should never compromise. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The confidence a society displays in its judiciary, the confidence they have in us, is earned by ensuring that we uphold the Constitution. We stick to performing our duties with our oath no matter what. This job forces you to make judgments that you yourself do not like – it is what the Constitution and the law require. Not every judgment a judge makes is one they like. We take an oath to adjudicate in accordance with the Constitution.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I leave the judiciary it is my wish that the judiciary never deviates. Being a judge is not a position from which you seek to be popular; to be praised in the media for their judgments. Their judgments are made in the shadow of the Constitution and made without fear, favour or prejudice. When people appear before us, no matter how unpopular they are out there, they must be treated with respect and courtesy and get a fair hearing. </span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2328957\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ED_517465-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1578\" /> <em>Special Ceremonial Sitting Of The Constitutional Court In Honour Of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on August 21, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The comes after Chief Justice Zondo announced his retirement after a judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2328955\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ED_517461-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1415\" /> <em>Chief Justice Raymond Zondo during the Special Ceremonial Sitting Of The Constitutional Court In Honour Of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on August 21, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The comes after Chief Justice Zondo announced his retirement after a judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be the most popular person outside there and when you come before us, if before the Constitution and the law, you fail, then you fail. Some sectors make all kinds of allegations that the judiciary is captured. They are only a few. The majority believe this judiciary performs its functions well. Society must reject those people making all kinds of allegations against the judiciary and when they keep on making allegations that some judges are captured or the judiciary is captured. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Society must stop them. There are fora to take your allegations to, but you cannot continue to make those allegations. May there be fewer and fewer of such people. The work of the Commission (of Inquiry into State Capture) was important work. Mogoeng Mogoeng and I were looking for someone to chair the commission. We called a number of judges and none were available. He turned to look at me. I said: “If you want me to do it, I will do it.” He said: “I want you to do it.” </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am grateful to all those who made sure that the commission did what it was meant to do. It is my hope that mechanisms will be put in place to ensure we will never have a repeat of State Capture. Prosecutions have their place. But prosecutions are an event; they do not prevent. They will help if people thinking of engaging in State Capture believe they will be caught and sent to jail. If mechanisms are not there to make people think twice, we will have State Capture again. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Political parties need to reflect: how did it come about that the number-one citizen could be part of State Capture. How did someone who could do that go through their ranks. What do we need to fix that? We have to make sure it doesn’t have to happen again. The best gift that members of the judiciary can give me is that they will remain faithful to their oath of office; to uphold the Constitution and they will uphold the rule of law, that they will fight for the independence of the judiciary. I want to say: South Africa, thank you for being so kind to me. It was a singular honour and privilege for me to serve you the people of South Africa. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today is a very special day for me and my family. I want to say thank you to this country for being so kind to me. Indeed, South Africa is a country of great possibilities. It is a country where somebody can be in prison for 27 years and come out of that to be president of the country. Indeed, it is a country where somebody without formal education can rise to be president of the country. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a country where a boy from a rural village who fetched firewood, put them on his head to bring them home to the family, a boy who fetched water from a spring and climbed a hill to take it home so the family could cook and wash, a boy who looked after goats and cattle, who did stick-fighting, a boy raised by a single parent, a great and resilient woman, can rise and become a Chief Justice of his country. I am aware it’s not only me; Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng came from as humble beginnings. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He said of our time at the University of Zululand that it was obvious that we were very poor – “poverty was written on our foreheads”. He used to wear overalls for most of the time and that was not because he liked overalls but that was part of the poverty that I think he received from his father. He, too, rose from those humble beginnings. The contribution he made to the judiciary in building it is immense: the structures he put in place continue to operate. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of those present will not forget his Nkandla judgment, which in my view and in the view of many, helped to stop the country as it was sliding further down. President Mandela appointed me a judge of the Labour Court and also a judge of the then Transvaal Provincial Division. President Mbeki appointed me Judge President of the Labour Appeal Court. President Zuma appointed me a judge of the Constitutional Court and subsequently a deputy chief justice (I wonder if he’s happy). President Zuma also appointed me head of the State Capture Commission. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2328895\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2328895\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ferial-Zondo-Outgoing-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Zondo\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1376\" /> <em>Raymond Zondo (Retired Chief Justice of South Africa) interacts with guests during the farewell dinner for Chief Justice Raymond Zondo at Marriot Hotel Melrose Arch on August 20, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The celebratory dinner, was held in tribute to the Chief Justice, who is retiring at the end of August 2024 after a distinguished judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">President Ramaphosa appointed me Chief Justice and I thank him for having confidence in me to lead the judiciary. It was an extraordinary opportunity I was given. My term was short and I wish it was longer, but our Constitution and jurisprudence are clear that [there] may not be an extension. I have sought to uphold the Constitution and fight for the independence of the judiciary. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout my time I have been clear in my own mind that it was my duty to do so even if it caused me to (make) enemies. When one chooses appointment as a judicial office, whether magistrate or judge, one has to appreciate the honour that goes with that. Society makes you one of those who tells it when things get out of line: from the poorest to the richest; from the powerless to the most powerful. That we should never compromise. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The confidence a society displays in its judiciary, the confidence they have in us, is earned by ensuring that we uphold the Constitution. We stick to performing our duties with our oath no matter what. This job forces you to make judgments that you yourself do not like – it is what the Constitution and the law require. Not every judgment a judge makes is one they like. We take an oath to adjudicate in accordance with the Constitution.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As I leave the judiciary it is my wish that the judiciary never deviates. Being a judge is not a position from which you seek to be popular; to be praised in the media for their judgments. Their judgments are made in the shadow of the Constitution and made without fear, favour or prejudice. When people appear before us, no matter how unpopular they are out there, they must be treated with respect and courtesy and get a fair hearing. </span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2328957\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2328957\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ED_517465-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1578\" /> <em>Special Ceremonial Sitting Of The Constitutional Court In Honour Of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on August 21, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The comes after Chief Justice Zondo announced his retirement after a judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2328955\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2328955\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ED_517461-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1415\" /> <em>Chief Justice Raymond Zondo during the Special Ceremonial Sitting Of The Constitutional Court In Honour Of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on August 21, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The comes after Chief Justice Zondo announced his retirement after a judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may be the most popular person outside there and when you come before us, if before the Constitution and the law, you fail, then you fail. Some sectors make all kinds of allegations that the judiciary is captured. They are only a few. The majority believe this judiciary performs its functions well. 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"summary": "At his final sitting at the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, 21 August, outgoing Chief Justice Raymond Zondo thanked South Africa for all the opportunities afforded him. These enabled a boy from a poor rural area to become Chief Justice. The judge also reflected on his time chairing the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. These are his words. ",
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Raymond Zondo (Retired Chief Justice of South Africa) interacts with guests during the farewell dinner for Chief Justice Raymond Zondo at Marriot Hotel Melrose Arch on August 20, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The celebratory dinner, was held in tribute to the Chief Justice, who is retiring at the end of August 2024 after a distinguished judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)
Special Ceremonial Sitting Of The Constitutional Court In Honour Of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on August 21, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The comes after Chief Justice Zondo announced his retirement after a judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo during the Special Ceremonial Sitting Of The Constitutional Court In Honour Of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo on August 21, 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The comes after Chief Justice Zondo announced his retirement after a judicial career spanning 27 years. (Photo by Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo)