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ABOUT SAJEI

ABOUT US

The South African Judicial Education Institute is a dynamic Judicial Training Institute (JTI) with a local, regional and international footprint. SAJEI offers Judicial education interventions to enhance excellence and transformation. Although SAJEI started operations in 2011, the first training intervention took place in January 2012, with the training of newly appointed Judges. To date, SAJEI bears a number of achievements as listed below:

  • Functioning SAJEI governance structures such as the Council are in place under the leadership of the Chief Justice.
  • Established regional and international networks with a specific focus on Judicial training. 
  • Capacitation of the Institute, at the inception of SAJEI, there were no dedicated Judicial Educators. Training
    was conducted by members of the judiciary whilst performing their bench
    duties. Through the leadership of the former Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, four
    Senior Magistrates were placed at SAJEI in 2016 as Judicial Educators
    for a period of five years. The Judicial Educators are responsible for the
    training of District Court Magistrates.
  • Seamless implementation of virtual Judicial training. 
  • Training of newly appointed Botswana Judges and Magistrates  as part of the support to foreign Judicial institutions and courts.  
  • Launch and implementation of annual training programme on Human Rights since 2018.
  • Publishing of annual journal on Judicial education, law and other related matters since 2018. The journal is accredited since January 2023.
  • Developed publications on HIV/AIDS and the Law, Judgment writing for Lower Court Judiciary. 
  • Partnering with an International Organization on Judicial training (IOJT) on an international conference in South Africa 1999, the first on the African continent.
  • Played a pivotal role in the concept of integration of new areas of law into Judicial curricula which amongst others led to the establishment of Africa Judicial Education Network on Enviromental Law (AJENEL).

The main objects of this Act are to establish a national education and training institution for the judiciary so as to enhance judicial accountability and the
transformation of the judiciary, in order to promote the implementation of the values mentioned in section 1 of the Constitution, and for that purpose to-

(a) provide proper, appropriate and transformational judicial education and training, having due regard to both our inherited legacy and our
      new constitutional dispensation; and
(b) offer judicial education and training to aspiring and newly appointed judicial officers as well as continued training for experienced judicial officers.

The South African Judicial Education Institute was established after the enactment of the Act of 2008. It is responsible for the Judicial education and training of judicial officers and aspiring judicial officers.

The functions of the Institute are- 

(a) to establish, develop, maintain and provide judicial education and professional training for judicial officers;

(b) to provide entry level education and training for aspiring judicial

(c) officers to enhance their suitability for appointment to judicial office;

(d) to conduct research into judicial education and professional training and to liaise with other judicial education and professional training
      institutions, persons and organisations in connection with the performance of its functions;

(e) to promote, through education and training, the quality and efficiency of services provided in the administration of justice in the Republic;

(f) to promote the independence, impartiality, dignity, accessibility and effectiveness of the courts; and

(g) to render such assistance to foreign judicial institutions and courts as may be agreed upon by the Council.

7(1). Chief Justice M. Maya (Chairperson)

7(1). Acting Deputy Chief Justice M Madlanga

7(1)(a). Deputy Minister Andries Nel

7(1)(b). Justice Z. Tshiqi

7(1)(c). Ms Fasiha Hassan

7(1)(d). President M Molemela

7(1)(e). Judge President C Musi

7(1)(e). Judge E Steyn

7(1)(e). Judge A Govindjee

7(1)(e). Judge President N Manoim

7(1)(f). RCP J Wessels

7(1)(f). RCP M Djaje

7(1)(f). CM T Tonjeni

7(1)(f). CM L Unuvar

7(1)(f). SM R Terblanche

7(1)(f). Judge M. Leeuw (ret)

7(1)(f). Adv. T Mafukidze

7(1)(j). Ms Z. Makula (Attorney)

7(1)(k). Prof Mzukisi Njotini

7(1)(k). Prof Nicola Smit

7(1)(l). Prof LJ Teffo

7(1)(l). Prof VA Lawack

7(1)(m). Khosi A Rambuda

SAJEI CEO. Dr G. Moshoeu

A. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  1. Acting Deputy Chief Justice M. Madlanga (Chairperson)
  2. Judge E. Steyn
  3. Regional Court President J. Wessels
  4. Chief Magistrate T. Tonjeni
  5. Ms R. Terblanche
  6. Ms Z. Makula
  7. Ms F. Hassan

B. CURRICULUM PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

  1. Justice Z. Tshiqi
  2. Judge President M. Leeuw (retired): (Chairperson)
  3. Judge President C. Musi
  4. Judge A. Govindjee
  5. Regional Court President J. Wessels
  6. Chief Magistrate L. Unuvar
  7. Adv T. Mafukidze
  8. Prof L. Teffo
  9. Prof N. Smit
  10. Khosi A. Rambuda

C. BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE

  1. President M. Molemela (Chairperson) 
  2. Judge President N. Manoim
  3. Regional Court President M. Djaje
  4. Adv T. Mafukidze
  5. Prof V. Lawack
  6. Prof N. Smit

D. HUMAN RESOURCE COMMITTEE

  1. Judge E. Steyn (Chairperson)
  2. Judge A. Govindjee
  3. Regional Court President M. Djaje
  4. Chief Magistrate T. Tonjeni
  5. Ms R. Terblanche
  6. Prof L. Teffo
  7. Ms Z. Makula

DISTRICT COURT MAGISTRATES TRAINING PROGRAMME

  • Material Development workshop
  • Train the Trainer
  • Children’s Court
  • Maintenance Court
  • Domestic Violence, Protection from Harassment Act and Older Persons
  • Criminal Court Skills Course
  • Immigration Act
  • Child Justice Act
  • National Credit Act
  • Evictions
  • Judicial Stress and Conflict Management (new)
  • Judicial Case Flow Management for Lower Court Leadership
  • Judicial Management course (new)
  • Judicial skills for Aspirant District Court Magistrates (new)
 

REGIONAL COURT MAGISTRATES TRAINING PROGRAMME

  • Material development workshops
  • Civil Adjudication
  • Sexual Offences and Trafficking in Persons Act
  • Judicial Skills for Aspirant Regional Court Magistrates
  • Judicial Case Flow Management for Lower Court Judiciary
 

TRADITIONAL LEADERS

  • Judicial Skills for Traditional Leaders (EC, KZN & NW)
 

ASPIRANT JUDGES

  • Advanced Aspirant Judges
 

TRADITIONAL LEADERS

  • Judicial skills for Traditional Leaders: Mpumalanga. To be funded by COGTA
 

ASPIRANT JUDGES

Basic Aspirant Judges Course 26 – 29 January 2015

ASPIRANT WOMEN JUDGES PROGRAMME

The Constitution lays a foundation for a racial and gender composition of the South African Judiciary. Section 174 (2) of the Constitution provides that “there is a need for the Judiciary to reflect broadly the racial and gender composition of South Africa must be considered when Judicial officers are appointed”. 

South Africa faces a challenge of gender inequality regarding the composition of the judiciary. The gender outlook within the judiciary is estimated at 54% male and 46% female. It was therefore imperative for the South African Judicial Education Institute (SAJEI) to establish a cohort of eligible women for the High court to contribute towards addressing the imbalance.

Since 2013, SAJEI has been conducting Aspirant Judicial officers training programmes at all three levels of the judiciary attended by participants irrespective of gender and race. Therefore, initiating a programme exclusively for women is not discriminatory, it is to focus on tipping the scale of prevalent inequality within the judiciary.

As part of the 10th year anniversary celebration, on 17 September 2021, the SAJEI Council approved the implementation of the Aspirant Women Judges programme. Honorable Chief Justice RMM Zondo launched the programme in January 2023 and renamed it after Ambassador Brigitte Mabandla, former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development. Ambassador Mabandla is a gallant freedom fighter and human rights doyen. It is so befitting for this flagship project to be named after her.

PROCESS

SAJEI issues a call for application followed by shortlisting, and interview conducted by a Selection Committee constituted by Judges President and Deputy Judges President. Those shortlisted are expected to complete an assignment before the interview.  

CRITERIA

1. The applicant must be a fit and proper person.

2. The applicant must have a minimum period of 12 years’ experience as an attorney, advocate, a Judicial Officer (including acting appointments) and any other relevant legal capacity.

3. Participants must have practiced law in High or Lower Courts.

4. Practitioners must submit a certificate of good standing from their statutory bodies and recognized Bar Associations. Magistrates must submit letters of good standing from the Magistrates Commission as well as a recommendation from the Head of Court based on judicial performance.

5. Academic qualifications: a law degree recognized in South Africa.

  Furthermore, applicants are required to attach the following documents:

A) Certificate of good standing from the Law Society or the Magistrates Commission or recognized Bar Association or Dean of Law not older than 3 months.

B) Certified copies of academic qualifications.

Court order admitting you as an Advocate or Attorney.

Regional Court Magistrates

  • Mentoring
  • Judgement writing
  • Judicial Skills for Aspiring RCM
  • Civil Adjudication
  • Sexual Offences and TIP

District Court Magistrates

  • Children’s Court
  • Maintenance Court
  • Domestic Violence, Harassment and Older Persons Act
  • Stress Management
  • Judicial Management
  • Criminal Court Skills
  • Immigration Act and related aspects
  • Child Justice Act
  • National Credit Act
  • Judgement writing
  • Judicial Skills and Evictions
 

SAJEI RSVP FORMS