The Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng today expressed his deep sadness at the passing of former Constitutional Court Judge Justice Thembile Lewis Skweyiya.
In a tribute to the late Justice Skweyiya, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng said: “We received news of the passing of former Justice Skweyiya with deep sadness. He served the nation with great distinction as an anti-apartheid lawyer, human rights activist, Senior Counsel, Judge of the High Court as well as a Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.”
Former Justice Skweyiya was born on 17 June 1939 in Worcester, Western Cape. Following his matriculation at the Healdtown Institution, Justice Skweyiya obtained a Bachelor of Science and LLB degrees from the University of Natal in 1963 and 1967 respectively. His long and distinguished legal career started in 1968 when he served articles as a candidate attorney. He was later admitted as an Advocate in 1970 and became a member of the Society of Advocates in Natal, an Advocate of the High Court of Lesotho as well as Namibia in 1974.
He was one of the African pioneers in the legal profession and became the first African to be conferred with the silk status (Senior Counsel) in 1989. As counsel specialising in commercial law, Justice Skweyiya could have settled for a more lucrative practice in commercial law. But his passion for justice and freedom resulted in the bulk of his practice being dedicated to cases associated with civil liberties and human rights.
He joined the bench as a Judge of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court in 2001 and was elevated to the Constitutional Court in May 2002. Whilst at the Constitutional Court, Justice Skweyiya also acted as Deputy Chief Justice from November 2013 to 31 March 2014. His enormous contribution to the development of our jurisprudence is known and appreciated worldwide.
He has been the Chancellor of Fort Hare University for several years now. At the time of his passing, Justice Skweyiya was appointed as the Inspector of Correctional Services by President Zuma for a three year term effective from May 2015.
The late Justice Skweyiya will be missed for his wisdom, humility and passion for human rights, judicial independence, and a functional constitutional democracy. He was indeed a pleasant person to work with, very considerate and a peaceable man. His death is a great loss to South Africa and we will miss him.
Justice Skweyiya passed on, on 1 September 2015, and is survived by his wife Ms Sayo Nomakhosi Skweyiya and their four children.
On behalf of the Judiciary, I take this opportunity to express our heartfelt condolences to his family. We trust that they will be strengthened and comforted during this difficult period.”
