Former Justice Albie Sachs has received the distinction of Officier de la Légion d’honneur (Officer of the Legion of Honour).

Ambassador of France to South Africa Aurélien Lechevallier bestowed on Sachs France’s highest award on behalf of the French President at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg.

Sachs has spent his life as a dedicated human rights activist, advocate and Constitutional Court Judge.

“Whether in his activities as part of the justice system of South Africa, or his engagement with civil society thereafter, Mr. Sachs has been a moral authority in South Africa and deeply shares the most important values of freedom, equality and fraternity with France. His tireless defense of these values and his deep knowledge of South African history has made him a close friend and partner of the Embassy of France in South Africa,” said Lechevallier.

Sachs also visited France in the early 1990s at the invitation of the President of the Constitutional Council Robert Badinter.

Lechevallier said this visit and experience contributed to Sachs’ personal reflection and work to develop the new South African constitution.