Thank you for inviting me to address you on this wonderful occasion to honour Judge Maluleke for his contribution to the practice of law and the pursuit of justice.
 
Retirements are, by their nature, moments of reflection.
 
They present an opportunity to recount the contribution that a person has made to their profession and, in a few instances, the contribution they have made to society.
 
The retirement of Judge Maluleke also provides us with an opportunity to recall the outstanding and courageous role he played in the struggle for a free, democratic and just South Africa.
 
Like many of his peers, Judge Maluleke joined the legal profession at a time and in a place where the law existed as a means to oppress, dispossess and exploit.
 
He joined the legal profession at a time and in a place where few black people had such an opportunity and where there was little prospect for advancement.
 
He joined the legal profession at a time when the gulf between the law and justice was as pronounced as the divide between black and white.
 
It was a time of unjust laws and unaccountable courts.
 
It was in this harsh environment that he founded one of the pioneering black legal firms in South Africa.
 
It helped to pave the way for several partnerships among black lawyers to establish meaningful and effective legal firms.
 
Defending people involved in political trials was the mainstay of the firm.
 
Through their efforts, they saved a lot of people from jail – people whose only crime was a desire to be free.
 
They managed to use the law to defend those who the lawmakers of the time were intent on criminalising.
 
The efforts of Judge Maluleke and others like him not only made a huge difference in the lives of those they defended, but they helped to sustain a conception of justice that stood in stark contrast to the law of the time.
 
In doing so, they contributed in no small measure to the principles, the ethos and the values that underpin the practice of law today.
 
Judge Maluleke was one of those first few black judges who accepted the calling to go and serve on the bench, paving the way for a process of transformation that is still underway – and that still has some way to go.
 
As he retires from the bench, as we marvel at the remarkable course his career has taken, we are bound to consider too the remarkable journey of our country, its constitutions and its laws.
 
It is fitting that we are this month celebrating the 20th anniversary of the signing into law of our democratic Constitution.
 
This Constitution represents everything that Judge Maluleke and many of his colleagues stood for and fought for.
 
More than that, it contains the fundamental legal prescripts that ultimately guide every judgment, every order, every opinion and every administrative action.
 
It is the means through which the poor, marginalised and vulnerable can assert their rights.
 
It is the means through which the powerful can be held to account.
 
It provides a check against the abuse of office.
 
As we celebrate 20 years of the Constitution, we must acknowledge that there is still much we need to do to ensure that all South Africans are fully able to enjoy the rights contained therein.
 
That means we need to do more to enable them to realise their right to housing, health care, food, water, social security and education.
 
We need to proceed with greater urgency and effort to transform our economy and develop our people.
 
We also need to make the justice system more accessible to more South Africans.
 
We need to transform it – its composition, its culture and, to some extent, its outlook.
 
Judge Maluleke has, through his career, contributed much to bring us to where we are.
 
It is our responsibility – all of us – to take his work forward.
 
With these few words, allow me to thank Judge Maluleke for his service to our people and the nation.
 
Your life is an inspiration to many people – your colleagues, clients, family, friends and those whose lives you touched in many ways.
 
We hope that the celebration of this milestone will serve to encourage the younger generation, especially young black and women lawyers, to follow your example.
 
This may look to you like the end of your career.
 
In reality, it’s just the beginning of a new phase.
 
All the accumulated knowledge, experience and insight of many decades of service now belong to the nation.
 
As the nation, we will come to you for wisdom.
 
We will come to you for guidance.
 
And we will come to you when we stray from the path of change.
 
We are extremely fortunate to have you in our midst as we continue to work to create a South Africa that is free of hatred, greed, disease, homelessness, poverty, ignorance and injustice.
 
With your guidance, we will continue to walk this very long road to freedom.
 
In your name, we will continue to plant the trees that will bear the fruits of your struggle and provide shade for many generations to come.
 
I wish you good health and happiness and fulfilment.
 
I thank you.