President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the appointment of Justices Nambitha Dambuza-Mayosi (pictured) and Kate Savage to the Constitutional Court.

• South Africa’s Constitutional Court now has a women-majority Bench, joining only three other apex courts worldwide.
• Justices Nambitha Dambuza-Mayosi and Kate Savage bring decades of judicial expertise.
• Concerns remain over delays in appointments and the court’s declining performance.

South Africa’s Constitutional Court has become one of only four apex courts globally with a women-majority Bench.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointments of Justices Nambitha Dambuza-Mayosi and Kate Savage, effective 1 May.

“Judge Dambuza-Mayosi and Judge Savage have for decades served the cause and practice of justice with great diligence, foresight and, most importantly, clear commitment to our Constitution,” said Ramaphosa.

Judges Matter research and advocacy officer Mbekezeli Benjamin said the historic appointment of two more women to SA’s apex court “is welcome news as we celebrate 70 years of the Women’s March”.

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“Both Justice Dambuza and Justice Savage will add valuable experience to the Constitutional Court, and we hope that it will address our deep concerns about the declining performance of our apex court.”

Justice Dambuza-Mayosi brings 21 years of judicial experience, having served on the Supreme Court of Appeal since 2015 and previously on the Eastern Cape High Court.

Justice Savage, a labour law expert, has served on the Western Cape High Court since 2015 and the Labour Appeal Court since 2024. Both justices hold advanced legal qualifications.

Concerns over finalisation of appointments

While Judges Matter welcomed the appointments, Benjamin raised concerns about the 184-day delay in finalising them, the longest in democratic South Africa’s history.

“We call on the president to explain the causes of the delay and outline steps to prevent future delays,” he said.

He also highlighted broader issues affecting the Constitutional Court, including its declining performance.

The court had taken an average of 214 days to deliver judgments in 2024, compared to 102 days in 2010. The backlog is attributed to a tripling of its workload, from 120 cases in 2010 to more than 375 in 2024, coupled with stagnant or declining resources.

Benjamin emphasised the need for urgent interventions to address these challenges.

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“While we celebrate the historic appointments, we urge the government to allocate more resources to ensure the Constitutional Court delivers justice speedily and regains its global reputation for judicial excellence,” he said.

Xola Nqola, the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, said the appointments “come at a significant milestone in our democratic journey and constitute a meaningful step towards continued transformation”.

“[This is significant] not only in respect of racial representation, but also in advancing gender parity, in line with our constitutional values.

“The committee commends the president for the appointment of these two female jurists, in recognition of their distinguished achievements and extensive experience.”