Nelson Mandela Foundation

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng: biography

Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng is the fourth Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa since the dawn of democracy.

He was born in a small village called Goo-Mokgatlha (Koffiekraal) village, in the North West province of South Africa. He is married to Mmaphefo and they were blessed with three children.

Mogoeng holds the B Juris and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the universities of Zululand and Natal respectively. He also holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of South Africa. In October 2013, the University of the North West awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree to him. And the University of Johannesburg also conferred a Doctor of Laws degree on him on 27 March 2018.

In June 1997 he was appointed a Judge of the North West High Court and in April 2000 a Judge of the Labour Appeal Court. In October 2002, he was then elevated to the position of Judge President of the North West High Court.

He was appointed to the Constitutional Court of the Republic of South Africa in 2009 and subsequently elevated to the position of Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa on 8 September 2011.

In April 2017, Chief Justice Mogoeng was elected as the President of the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa for a period of two years. And in August 2017, he was appointed as Chancellor by the Council of the University of KwaZulu-Natal for a period of four years.