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Supreme Court of AppealRef: https://www.judiciary.org.za/images/news/2026/Keynote%20Address%20by%20CJ%20Maya%20-%20SA%20Judiciary%20Conference%20-%2014%20July%202026_.pdf

Official source

Source domain: judiciary.org.za

Collected on 15 July 2026

Always confirm details on the official source before acting.

Our copy (archived 16 July 2026)Official source

What this means

This document is the opening keynote address by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya at the 2026 South African Judiciary Conference in Durban on 14 July 2026. The Chief Justice discusses the constitutional requirement for an independent, impartial, accessible and effective judiciary, and argues that South Africa still lacks full institutional independence because court administration and resourcing remain fragmented. It recalls 2023 Judiciary Conference resolutions calling for a single judiciary (including migration of lower courts to the Office of the Chief Justice), financial autonomy, operational independence, digitisation, mediation/ADR, and reviews of norms and standards. The address also reports progress toward institutional independence, including a phased plan: Phase 1 transfer of shared/retained services for Superior Courts completed on 1 April 2026, and Phase 2 involving development and promotion of legislation, with a June 2025 commitment by President Cyril Ramaphosa to take steps toward judicial independence.

Facts

Places

eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal

Reference

https://www.judiciary.org.za/images/news/2026/Keynote%20Address%20by%20CJ%20Maya%20-%20SA%20Judiciary%20Conference%20-%2014%20July%202026_.pdf

Key Takeaways

  • Chief Justice Mandisa Maya opening keynote address
  • 2026 South African Judiciary Conference theme: “Towards a Single, Institutionally Independent and Accountable Judiciary”
  • Date and place: 14 July 2026, Durban
  • 2023 resolutions: single effective fully independent judiciary; migration of lower courts to Office of the Chief Justice; judiciary-led court administration; financial autonomy; operational independence; ICT/digitisation; court-based mediation/ADR; review of Judicial Code of Conduct and Norms and Standards; remuneration/benefits; security; libraries; ICT services; infrastructure; future conferences every 2–3 years
  • Constitutional point: courts are independent and subject only to the Constitution and law; organs of state must assist and protect court independence, impartiality, dignity, accessibility and effectiveness
  • Claim: judiciary currently has adjudicative independence but institutional independence remains unfulfilled
  • Phase 1 of institutional independence plan: transfer of shared and retained services for Superior Courts from DoJ to Office of the Chief Justice completed on 01 April 2026; MoU concluded by Acting Accounting Officers; National Treasury allocated funding to OCJ
  • Phase 2: development and promotion of legislation to fulfil constitutional imperative of full institutional independence and creation of a single judiciary
  • June 2025: President Ramaphosa committed the Executive to steps toward realisation of judicial independence
  • Chief Justice Mandisa Maya
  • Justice Mhlantla
  • Justice Mlambo
  • Justice Molemela
  • Justice Zondi
  • Constitutional Court
  • Supreme Court of Appeal
  • Judiciary of South Africa
  • Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development (Minister Kubayi)
  • Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development (Mr Nel)
  • Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ)
  • Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ)
  • National Treasury
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa
  • Acting Accounting Officers (of DoJ and OCJ)

Dates

Closing Date

1 April 2026