South Africa should intensify the fight against corruption in order to honour its liberation heroes and heroines and to reach its full potential, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo told law students on Thursday night.

Speaking at the 16th annual Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge Memorial Lecture at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Zondo said every citizen had an obligation to identify ways of fighting corruption, build society and protect the vulnerable.

He invoked the names of late anti apartheid heroes and heroines such as Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko, who he said had risked their lives and made sacrifices to support the cause of fighting the racially oppressive system.

“All took risks and suffered because they wanted a certain society and country," Zondo said.

“We must ask ourselves what it is that we are prepared to show bravery for. What is it that we are prepared to say ‘for this I am committed and prepared to make sacrifices in order to take the country forward'."

“We have attained some of the things they wanted, but is South Africa the country they fought for?”

He said South Africans should help those who were less fortunate, particularly in education. 

"It is a tool of transformation, it changes the fortunes of families, communities and nations if we get the right kind of education,"  he said.

"Because of the fight put up by heroes and heroines, people such as myself are able to be judges and occupy the position of deputy chief justice.”

He also urged the judiciary to continue ensuring the maintenance of democracy within the confines of the law.

“We have to ensure that in our courts, corruption is dealt with properly," said Zondo.

"The other arms of state must play their role, but I can assure South Africans that the judiciary is determined to play its role throughout so that if the country does not achieve the greatness it is meant to, it is not because the judiciary hasn’t played its part.”