Raymond Mnyamezeli Mlungisi "Ray" Zondo (born 4 May 1960) is a South African judge who is currently serving as Chief Justice of South Africa since 2022. President

Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician who is currently serving as the fifth democratically elected president of South Africa. Formerly an anti-apartheid activist, trade union leader, and ...

appointed Zondo as South Africa's new chief justice with effect from 1 April 2022. He served as acting Chief Justice from 11 October 2021, when Mogoeng Mogoeng retired, until 31 March 2022.

Early life

Zondo was educated at St Mary's Seminary in Ixopo, the University of Zululand and the

University of Natal The University of Natal was a university in the former South African province Natal which later became KwaZulu-Natal. The University of Natal no longer exists as a distinct legal entity, as it was incorporated into the University of KwaZulu-N ...

, where he completed his LLB. He was admitted as an attorney in 1989 and practised as a partner in Mathe & Zondo Inc. Judge Zondo received a Master of Laws in commercial law, a Master of Laws in labour law, and a Master of Laws in patent law at the University of South Africa.

Judicial career

In 1997 he was appointed a judge of the

Labour Court A labor court (or labour court or industrial tribunal) is a governmental judiciary body which rules on labor or employment-related matters and disputes. In a number of countries, labor cases are often taken to separate national labor high courts. O ...

, and in 1999 he was appointed to the Transvaal Provincial Division of the High Court (later the North Gauteng High Court, now the Gauteng Division). In 2000 he was elevated to Judge President of the Labour Court, a post in which he served for ten years. In 2010 he returned to the Pretoria High Court. From November 2011 to May 2012, Zondo served as an acting judge of the Constitutional Court. He was permanently appointed with effect from September 2012 and is now considered a key member, with

Chris Jafta Christopher Nyaole Jafta (born 1959) is a retired judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. Early life Jafta was born outside Matatiele, now on the border between the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and went to junior and high school th ...

, of the Court's conservative wing. In June 2017, President Jacob Zuma appointed Zondo to the office of Deputy Chief Justice, succeeding Dikgang Moseneke who retired in 2016. On 10 March 2022, President

appointed Zondo as the new Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, effective 1 April.

Commission of Inquiry into State Capture

Shortly after taking office in 2018, Ramaphosa approved an inquiry into allegations of corruption during the previous Jacob Zuma government administration, stating that "This is the year in which we will turn the tide of corruption in our public institutions". Zondo was appointed as presiding judge for the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State, leading to its popular name, the Zondo Commission. Hearings began on 20 August 2018 and were expected to last for two years.

References

1960 births Living people 20th-century South African judges 20th-century South African lawyers 21st-century South African judges Chief justices of South Africa Judges of the Constitutional Court of South Africa People from KwaZulu-Natal University of Natal alumni University of Zululand alumni Zulu people {{SouthAfrica-law-bio-stub