In the final episode of this season of Legal Luminaries, retired Gauteng judge president and former Tax Ombud Bernard Ngoepe shares his story of growing up in a rural village in Polokwane to serving as a Judge for 18 years. From his early days tending sheep and cattle – having grown up in a rural village in Polokwane – to a stellar record for his participation in and contributions to human rights and the rule of law in South Africa and abroad, Judge Ngoepe is a pillar of pragmatism and...

In this episode of Legal Luminaries, anti-apartheid activist and former Constitutional Court judge, Zak Yacoob, shares his personal and professional life story. From experiencing life as a blind person – having lost his sight at 16 months as a result of meningitis – to seeing and overcoming his own prejudices as a young student and man, Judge Yacoob is both candid, humorous, and authentic in this Legal Luminaries podcast interview. He says that after completing his LLB degree at the...

“I went from office to office, mostly white law firms and mostly got the same answer. 'We cannot give you a job because we cannot have white secretaries taking instructions from a black person'…” – Judge Navi Pillay In this episode of Legal Luminaries, Judge Navi Pillay reflects on her journey into the judiciary, the milestones achieved during the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the duty judges have on the bench. In 1967, Judge Pillay became the first non-white woman to open...

"It takes blood, sweat, and tears - and many sleepless nights - to do what needs to be done to protect the integrity of the courts and the Rule of Law." - Judge Khampepe In our launch episode of Legal Luminaries, Judge Sisi Khampepe shares some of her experiences and vulnerabilities as an aspiring black female lawyer during the Apartheid regime. The retired Constitutional Court judge tells Legal Luminaries host Iman Rappetti how those experiences helped shape her career and contributions...

Legal Luminaries - Launches 14 August, 2023