Judge Zak Yacoob: A Journey of Transformation and Justice
In the latest 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 episode.
He tells respected South African journalist and author Iman Rappetti that after completing his LLB degree at the University of Durban-Westville in 1972, he tried in vain to get articles at over 30 law firms. When he realised he wasn't getting a foot in the door, he changed his plan – and that has made all the difference in his life.
Judge Jacoob also gives his opinion on some of the challenges and pitfalls in South African society today, including corruption, and shares his dreams of a social revolution for South Africans.Listen below.
More about Judge Yacoob:
Retired Justice Zak Yacoob has been blind from infancy and studied at the Arthur Blaxall School for the Blind in Durban. In service as judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa from 1998 to 2013, he became known nationally and internationally for his contribution to the socio-economic rights jurisprudence of South Africa.
After his retirement, he received the 2013 Felicia and Sydney Kentridge Award for Service to the Law in Southern Africa and was awarded five honorary doctorates from the Universities of Fort Hare, KwaZulu-Natal, Witwatersrand, Pretoria, and the Free State.
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'.
Meanwhile, tn episode two 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 her own law practice in Natal Province; while years later she was the first non-white woman judge of the High Court of South Africa. Judge Pillay also served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2008 to 2014.
Judge Pillay also shares her perspectives on the imperative surrounding the protection of our Constitution and democracy. Listen below.
Judge Pillay currently holds positions as Judge Ad Hoc of the International Court of Justice in the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v Myanmar), President, International Commission Against the Death Penalty, Madrid, President Advisory Council of the International Nuremberg Principles Academy, Chair of UN/HRC Independent Commission of Inquiry into Israel and Palestine, Member, Africa Group for Justice and Accountability and Co-Convenor, Donor Direct Action, New York.
More about Legal Luminaries
Legal Luminaries is a captivating podcast series brought to you by Juta and Jacaranda FM. Hosted by television personality and author, Iman Rappetti, this JacPod Original takes you on a journey through the lives and experiences of renowned legal giants who have played a pivotal role in shaping South African law.
Join us as we sit down with esteemed guests including Judge Navi Pillay, Judge Zak Yacoob, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, and Judge Sisi Khampepe. Listen to their inspiring stories and gain a better understanding of the legal landscape that has shaped our nation's history.
Whether you're a legal enthusiast, a student of law, or simply curious about the minds behind South African democracy and human rights, Legal Luminaries is a must-listen.