The University of Johannesburg (UJ) announced on Tuesday that they would be awarding Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng an honorary doctoral degree.

“Judge Mogoeng’s commitment to serving humankind by upholding the independence of the judiciary and by promoting access to justice in tangible ways has earned him widespread respect and admiration for serving humankind,” said the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law at UJ, Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi.

Mogoeng Thomas Reetsang Mogoeng was born in 1961, and is the fourth Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa, having assumed office on 8 September 2011. Through his exemplary leadership of the judicial branch of government, he has steadfastly advanced the constitutional values of human dignity, equality and freedom; non-racialism and non-sexism; the supremacy of the Constitution and the Rule of Law a statement from the university added.

“Through his actions, Judge Mogoeng has been concretising each of the core University of Johannesburg values. An unquestionable ethical foundation is evident from his judgments in the Constitutional Court, delivered without fear or favour, as well as from his public addresses and publications. He has earned trust and credibility through judgments that were critical of executive decisions and conduct; of parliamentary rules and conventions; and of legislation that does not conform to the Constitution, resisting political pressure and maintaining judicial independence,” Professor Mpedi said.

UJ said that Judge Mogoeng’s commitment to judicial independence had a wider purpose, promoting access to justice by regenerating the judicial system.

“His quest for institutional legitimacy of the judiciary is rooted in the realisation that many South Africans felt alienated from the court system,” said Professor Mpedi.

The institution said that during his tenure as Chief Justice, Mogoeng had made a decided impact on and contribution to South African society, which was made clear from two awards made to him in 2017.

"Moegeng Mogoeng has received the Biko Fanon award from the Pan-African Psychology Congress for contributing to psychological liberation. The award commends him for contributing to public awareness and creating a source of hope for morality in the country. He was also voted 2017 South African of the Year in a public poll hosted by News24, having been nominated by a panel of journalists and experts," said UJ.