President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dunstan Mlambo as deputy chief justice with effect from Friday.
At 65, Mlambo brings nearly three decades of judicial experience and a lifetime of legal activism to his new role. Here are five things to know about the new deputy chief justice.
1. A legal career grounded in public interest and transformation
Before joining the bench in 1997, Mlambo worked as a public interest and trade union lawyer, beginning as a legal assistant in the KaNgwane government.
He later joined the Legal Resources Centre in 1987 before making a rare transition into corporate law, becoming an associate partner at Bowman Gilfillan in 1993.
In 1995, he cofounded Mlambo & Modise Attorneys. His rise to the judiciary began with an appointment to the labour court and he later served in the Gauteng High Court (2000), Supreme Court of Appeal (2005) and as judge president of the labour court (2010) before assuming leadership of the Gauteng division of the high court in 2012.
2. Leading South Africa’s busiest court division
As judge president of the Gauteng High Court covering both Johannesburg and Pretoria Mlambo oversaw the country’s most complex and demanding judicial workload.
He led the division with innovation and foresight, introducing initiatives like the re-establishment of the commercial court in 2018 and mandatory civil mediation in 2025 to address case backlogs.
His tenure also saw the creation of two new stand-alone high courts in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, an expansion of access to justice that many see as one of his most impactful legacies.
3. Key judgments that shaped jurisprudence
Mlambo is more than an administrator — he’s an influential jurist who has authored several landmark decisions:
- President of the Republic v Public Protector: Held former president Jacob Zuma personally liable for legal costs related to the “State Capture” report.
- MultiChoice v NPA (Oscar Pistorius case): Allowed for the broadcasting of the high-profile trial.
- SAPS v Solidarity obo Barnard: Upheld affirmative action as a justifiable measure to address past discrimination — later affirmed by the Constitutional Court.
These judgments reflect Mlambo’s commitment to transparency, equality and the transformative spirit of the constitution.
4. A vision for transformative and accessible justice
In his recent Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interview, Mlambo outlined a progressive vision rooted in the belief that South Africa’s constitution must be a tool for economic justice.
“I think we adopted what is called a progressive constitution that seeks to uplift the blight of people,” he said, advocating for “carefully crafted litigation” to dismantle bottlenecks that keep South Africans trapped in poverty.
He also criticised Rule 46A, which allows banks to repossess homes, arguing that “as a judiciary, we need to find a way of reforming these legal rules that form part of this conservative legal culture”.
Mlambo is also a proponent of legal reform through technology and training, calling for a mediation act and suggesting the adoption of AI-driven legal tools as used in Brazil to boost efficiency.
5. Ethical leadership and accountability
Mlambo has served on numerous local and international legal boards, including the Centre for the Advancement of Community Advice Offices (CAOSA), the International Legal Foundation and Africa Legal Aid.
His ethical compass was evident when he revoked the appointment of an acting judge over sexual harassment complaints and supported chief justice Mandisa Maya’s proposed sexual harassment policy.
As he steps into this new chapter, all eyes will be on how he continues to reshape the country’s legal landscape from one of the highest seats of judicial power.
TimesLIVE
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