Raymond Zondo set to retire

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Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is set to retire this month marking the end of judicial career after spending twenty seven years on the bench.

His term of office comes to an end on August 31 and he will make way for deputy chief justice Mandisa Maya to assume the role on September 1.

The Judiciary has announced that it will honour Zondo in a Special Ceremonial Sitting of the Constitutional Court on Wednesday, which marks the last judgment he will hand down.

Born at Ixopo, Kwazulu-Natal, Zondo got his secondary school education St Mary’s Seminary where he matriculated. He then went on to study law at the University of Zululand, University of Natal (now known as University of KwaZulu-Natal) and later at the University of South Africa.

He holds B. Juris degree (University of Zululand, LLB degree (University of Natal), LLM degree (cum laude) in labour law (University of South Africa), LLM degree with specialisation in commercial law (University of South Africa) and LLM degree in patent law (University of South Africa).

Zondo chaired the State Capture Commission

In 2012, Justice Zondo was appointed as a Justice of the Constitutional Court for a period of twelve years. In June 2017, he was appointed as deputy chief justice of the Republic of South Africa.

In January 2018, he was appointed as the chairperson of the State Capture Commission (SCC), also known as the Zondo Commission.

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With effect from April 1, 2022, he was appointed as the CJ of the Republic. For the past two and a half years he has led the judiciary with great success.

From 2018 to 2022, CJ Zondo led the state capture commission and submitted to the president, a six-part report in which he made various findings and recommendations.

The importance of the SCC was highlighted by president Ramaphosa when he addressed the nation on October 23, 2022 to outline government’s response to the commission report.