Raymond Zondo

The Honourable
Raymond Zondo
The Honourable Raymond Zondo
22nd Chief Justice of South Africa
	In office; 1 April 2022 – 31 August 2024
Appointed by	Cyril Ramaphosa
Deputy	Mandisa Maya
Preceded by	Mogoeng Mogoeng
Succeeded by	Mandisa Maya
5th Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa
	In office; 7 June 2017 – 31 March 2022
Chief Justice	Mogoeng Mogoeng
Preceded by	Dikgang Moseneke
Succeeded by	Mandisa Maya
Chairperson of the Zondo Commission
	In office; 21 August 2018 – 1 January 2022
Appointed by	President Jacob Zuma
Preceded by	Commission established
Succeeded by	Commission abolished
Appointed by
Judicial career; (1997-2024)
Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa
	In office; 1 September 2012 – 31 August 2024
Appointed by	Jacob Zuma
Judge President of the Labour Court of South Africa
	In office; 1 May 2000 – April 2010
Appointed by	Thabo Mbeki
Judge of the North Gauteng High Court
	In office; April 1999 – August 2012
Appointed by	Nelson Mandela
Judge of the Labour Court of South Africa
	In office; 1 November 1997 – August 1999
Appointed by	Nelson Mandela
Chancellor of the University of Zululand
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; April 2018
Vice-Chancellor	Xoliswa Mtose
Preceded by	Jacob Zuma
Personal details
Born	Raymond Mnyamezeli Mlungisi Zondo; 4 May 1960 (age 64); Ixopo, Natal, Union of South Africa
Citizenship	South Africa
Children	8
Residence(s)	Johannesburg, South Africa
Alma mater	University of Zululand (BJuris); University of Natal (LLB); University of South Africa (LLM)
Occupation	Judge; attorney; law clerk;
Profession	Lawyer

Raymond Mnyamezeli Mlungisi "Ray" Zondo (born 4 May 1960) is a South African jurist who served as the Chief Justice of South Africa from 1 April 2022 until his retirement on 31 August 2024. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Zondo as South Africa's new chief justice with effect from 1 April 2022.^[1] He served as acting Chief Justice from 11 October 2021, when Mogoeng Mogoeng retired, until 31 March 2022. ^[2]

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

In 1997 he was appointed a judge of the Labour Court,^[3] 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).^[4] In 2000 he was elevated to Judge President of the Labour Court,^[4] a post in which he served for ten years.^[5] 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^[6] and is now considered a key member, with Chris Jafta, of the Court's conservative wing.^[7] In June 2017, President Jacob Zuma appointed Zondo to the office of Deputy Chief Justice, succeeding Dikgang Moseneke who retired in 2016.^[8] On 10 March 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Zondo as the new Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, effective 1 April.^[9]

Shortly after taking office in 2018, Ramaphosa approved an inquiry into allegations of corruption during the previous Jacob Zuma government administration,^[10]^[11] stating that "This is the year in which we will turn the tide of corruption in our public institutions".^[12] 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,^[13] it issued its final report in June 2022^[14] and cost close to R1 billion, far more than any prior South African judicial inquiry.^[15]

[1]
Oelofse, Louis. "South Africa's Ramaphosa appoints new Chief Justice | DW | 10.03.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
[2]
"Chief Justice Ray Zondo". www.concourt.org.za.
[3]
"The Labour Court: The judges of the Labour Court" (PDF). Consultus. 11 (1). General Council of the Bar: 27. May 1998. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
[4]
"New judges" (PDF). Advocate. 13 (2). General Council of the Bar: 13. 2000. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
[5]
"Raymond Zondo appointed as ConCourt judge". Mail & Guardian. SAPA. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
[6]
Maharaj, Mac (14 August 2012). "President Zuma appoints Ray Zondo to ConCourt" (Press release). The Presidency. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
[7]
Tolsi, Niren (18 October 2013). "Applause for Mogoeng's judicial cadenza". Mail & Guardian.
[8]
"President Zuma appoints Justice Zondo as Deputy Chief Justice of the Republic". The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
[9]
Gerber, Jan (10 March 2022). "Ramaphosa appoints Zondo as Chief Justice". News24. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
[10]
"Our Mandate".
[11]
"CW urges public to help commission fulfil mandate". 10 January 2018.
[12]
"Full text: President Ramaphosa's maiden SoNA". 19 February 2018.
[13]
"State capture commission almost up and running". 28 May 2018.
[14]
"Here you go: The final State Capture report recommendations – at last". Daily Maverick. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
[15]
Ferreira, Emsie (29 September 2021). "High court grants Zondo commission a three-month extension". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 13 December 2021.

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[1] [1]
Oelofse, Louis. "South Africa's Ramaphosa appoints new Chief Justice | DW | 10.03.2022". DW.COM. Retrieved 10 March 2022.

[2] [2]
"Chief Justice Ray Zondo". www.concourt.org.za.

[consultus-3] [3]
"The Labour Court: The judges of the Labour Court" (PDF). Consultus. 11 (1). General Council of the Bar: 27. May 1998. Retrieved 5 November 2012.

[advocate-4] [4]
"New judges" (PDF). Advocate. 13 (2). General Council of the Bar: 13. 2000. Retrieved 5 November 2012.

[mg-5] [5]
"Raymond Zondo appointed as ConCourt judge". Mail & Guardian. SAPA. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2012.

[6] [6]
Maharaj, Mac (14 August 2012). "President Zuma appoints Ray Zondo to ConCourt" (Press release). The Presidency. Retrieved 5 November 2012.

[7] [7]
Tolsi, Niren (18 October 2013). "Applause for Mogoeng's judicial cadenza". Mail & Guardian.

[8] [8]
"President Zuma appoints Justice Zondo as Deputy Chief Justice of the Republic". The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

[9] [9]
Gerber, Jan (10 March 2022). "Ramaphosa appoints Zondo as Chief Justice". News24. Retrieved 10 March 2022.

[10] [10]
"Our Mandate".

[11] [11]
"CW urges public to help commission fulfil mandate". 10 January 2018.

[12] [12]
"Full text: President Ramaphosa's maiden SoNA". 19 February 2018.

[13] [13]
"State capture commission almost up and running". 28 May 2018.

[final-14] [14]
"Here you go: The final State Capture report recommendations – at last". Daily Maverick. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.

[:13-15] [15]
Ferreira, Emsie (29 September 2021). "High court grants Zondo commission a three-month extension". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 13 December 2021.

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Raymond Zondo

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Early life

Judicial career

Commission of Inquiry into State Capture

References