A Discussion with Justice Sisi Khampepe and Professor David B. Wilkins

Justice Sisi Khampepe has been a Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa since 2009. She began her legal career as one of the first black lawyers practicing labor law where she was exposed to the unfair employment conditions of Black workers. In 1985, she established her own law firm which became renowned for defending the rights of workers against unjust laws and unfair employment practices. She also represented other human rights bodies such as hawkers, civic and black consumer union. Her law firm was one of the few Black labor law firms in the country representing unions affiliated to both Nactu and Cosatu and as national legal advisor of SACAWU.

In 1995 she was appointed by President Mandela to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and in the following year she was a member of the TRC’s Amnesty Committee. She was then employed by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development as Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions In the period April 2005 – February 2006, she was appointed by former President Mbeki to chair the Commission of Enquiry into the mandate and location of the Directorate of Special Operation (the Khampepe Commission). In 2004, she was appointed by former President Mbeki to oversee the elections in Zimbabwe and in 2006, she served as a member of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Uganda. She obtained her B Proc from the University of Zululand in 1980 and her LLM degree from Harvard Law School in 1982.