Arthur Chaskalson
Arthur Chaskalson | |
---|---|
Chief Justice of South Africa | |
In office November 2001 – June 2005 | |
President | Thabo Mbeki |
Deputy | Pius Langa |
Preceded by | Ismail Mahomed |
Succeeded by | Pius Langa |
President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa | |
In office June 1994 – November 2001 | |
President | Nelson Mandela |
Deputy | Pius Langa |
Preceded by | Office established |
Personal details | |
Born | Johannesburg, South Africa | 24 November 1931
Died | 1 December 2012 Johannesburg, South Africa | (aged 81)
Resting place | Westpark Cemetery, Johannesburg[1] |
Spouse | Lorraine Chaskalson |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | University of the Witwatersrand |
Arthur Chaskalson SCOB, (24 November 1931 – 1 December 2012) was President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa from 1994 to 2001 and Chief Justice of South Africa from 2001 to 2005. Chaskalson was a member of the defence team in the Rivonia Trial of 1963.
Early life and career
Born in Johannesburg, Chaskalson was educated at Hilton College and later graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand with a BCom (1952) and LLB Cum Laude (1954).[2]
In 1963, Chaskalson, along with
Chaskalson left a very successful legal practice to become a human rights lawyer, helping to establish the
Constitutional Court
As the first president of South Africa's new Constitutional Court in 1994, and then later Chief Justice of the same court (following a Constitutional amendment act in 2001 which changed his title), Chaskalson gained a reputation as one of South Africa's leading jurists in constitutional and human rights issues. Chaskalson was a member of the technical committee on constitutional issues appointed by the
The court's first major decision under Chaskalson's leadership abolished the
Chaskalson also became prominent internationally, becoming commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists in 1995 before being selected as one of South Africa's four members on the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration in 1999. In 1989, he consulted on the writing of the Constitution of Namibia. He became the President of the International Commission of Jurists then from 2002 until 2008.[5]
Retirement
On 31 May 2005, Chaskalson retired as Chief Justice and was replaced by his former deputy Pius Langa. In his 2005 State of the Nation speech shortly before Chaskalson's retirement, South African President Thabo Mbeki praised the Chief Justice as a "great son of our people" and a "giant among the architects of our democracy".[2] Mbeki paid tribute to Chaskalson for everything he had done "as a South African, a lawyer and a judge, to shepherd us towards the construction of a South Africa that truly belongs to all who live in it".
He died in Johannesburg on 1 December 2012 from leukemia and was buried in Westpark Cemetery.[5]
Personal life
Chaskalson was survived by his wife Lorraine, with whom he had two sons and five grandchildren.[8] Chaskalson was Jewish[5] and was associated with Progressive synagogues in Johannesburg.[9]
Honours and awards
In 2002 he was awarded the Order of the Baobab (Gold) for "exceptional service in law, constitutional jurisprudence and human rights".[10]
See also
- Constitutional Court of South Africa
- Constitution of South Africa
- List of Constitutional Court opinions of Arthur Chaskalson
References
- ^ SAPA (3 December 2012). "SA mourns former chief justice Arthur Chaskalson". The Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ a b c Constitutional Court of South Africa. "Justice Arthur Chaskalson Former Chief Justice of South Africa". Constitutional Court of South Africa. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ISBN 9780199740222.
- ISBN 9780864866776.
- ^ a b c d Martin, Douglas (3 December 2012). "Arthur Chaskalson, Chief South African Jurist, Dies at 81". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ISBN 9781770130227. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ French, Howard (7 June 1995). "South Africa's Supreme Court Abolishes Death Penalty". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Farewell to a great SA fighter | News24". Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
- ^ Katz, Ant (2 December 2012). "SAUPJ mourns Chaskalson". MyShtetl.co.za. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
- ^ "Arthur Chaskalson: The Order of the Baobab in Gold". Government of South Africa. Retrieved 23 December 2021.