By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the appointment of Justices Nambitha Dambuza-Mayosi and Kate Savage to the Constitutional Court, effective 1 May 2026.
The Presidency made the announcement on Friday after the interviews that were previously conducted by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for the two vacancies at the Constitutional Court.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Mangwenya said, as directed by the Constitution, Ramaphosa made the appointments after consultation with Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly.
“Justice Dambuza-Mayosi currently serves as a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal – a position she has held since June 2015 and which included an extended period of acting as president of the Supreme Court of Appeal.”
Dambuza-Mayosi’s career spans more than three decades in legal practice, academia and the judiciary.
Savage became a judge of the Western Cape High Court in 2015 and has served as a judge of the Labour Appeal Court since 2024.
Wishing both judges well in their new roles, Ramaphosa said: “Judge Dambuza-Mayosi and Judge Savage have for decades served the cause and practice of justice with great diligence, foresight and, most importantly, clear commitment to our Constitution.”
“They join the Constitutional Court in the year in which we mark 30 years since the adoption of our democratic Constitution. This anniversary is a significant moment for our nation and serves as an inspiration for our Constitutional Court to sustain the entrenchment of our national values and the supreme law that underpins them.”
In an opinion piece published on its website last year, research and advocacy project Justice Matters noted that the Constitutional Court had been operating below capacity for several years, placing strain on its ability to deliver timely, authoritative judgments.