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The Black Lawyers Association learnt with grave sorrow the death of the former Constitutional Court Judge, Justice Thembile Lewis Skweyiya. Justice Skweyiya retired as a Judge of the Constitutional Court in May of 2015. At the time of his death Justice Skweyiya was appointed by President Jacob Zuma as Inspecting Judge of Correctional Services with effect from the 1st of May 2015. His sharp legal mind and background as a human rights lawyer will be missed in this critical position.

Justice Skweyiya’s Legal Profession dates back to the late 1960s when he obtained his LLB Degree from the University of Natal. He grew within the advocates’ ranks from 1970 until 1989 when he became the first African to be conferred with a status of Senior Counsel. He plied his legal profession as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa as well as the High Courts of Lesotho and Namibia. His hard work paid off when he was appointed as the High Court Judge and later on the Constitutional Court Judge.
History will remember Justice Skweyiya as a renowned human rights lawyer who fought the battles of the oppressed South Africans when it posed serious life threats both to himself and his family. He put lives and plight of his fellow countrymen above his personal interests.

BLA is deeply troubled by the void left in our society due to the death of this legal icon. The death of this legal giant came at the most crucial moment in the development of our legal jurisprudence post the apartheid era.
The young professionals are, because of his death, denied the opportunity to seek counsel from his vast legal experience and exposure. We believe that the departure of Justice Skweyiya has robbed our nation of his wisdom and counsel on the national discourse on the role of the judiciary vis-à-vis the rule of law; and respect of the role of each arm of government by the other.

BLA is, however, comforted and consoled by the fact that Justice Skweyiya left behind his legal knowledge and expertise in the body of judgements he handed down when he was on the bench and the rich legal jurisprudence he developed throughout his legal career as a selfless advocate of the oppressed. The wealth of knowledge he bequeathed to the nation is a foundation upon which we should continue to lay bricks of total transformation of the judiciary and the legal profession as a whole.

BLA conveys its heartfelt message of condolences to the family, and relatives, former colleagues on the bench and in the legal profession as a whole.
Justice Skweyiya will forever be remembered for his steadfastness in his desire to dispense justice to all.

“May his soul rest in peace.”

Issued by President: Black Lawyers Association