What's New

Statement

Election of a new National Council, 22 August 2025
On 9 August 2025, at its Annual General Meeting, a new National Council was elected. SAC-IAWJ works to increase women’s meaningful participation in the judiciary, ensuring that the bench reflects South Africa’s diversity. It fosters judicial cooperation, improves communication between court levels, organises conferences, and facilitates exchanges to address the social and cultural challenges facing women in the legal profession and the judiciary. A strong focus is placed on combating gender-based violence and abuse in society, and on raising public awareness about the judiciary’s role in protecting equal rights.

Visit the Resources page to view documents, forms, AGMs, newsletters, media statements and speeches.

About US

The South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges was formed in August 2004 and was formally inaugurated by the then South African President Thabo Mbeki at a ceremony on 8 August 2004. He expressed that in the construction of a genuine democracy it imposes an obligation to end the clearly unjust situation of the gross under-representation of women in our judiciary. Hence the establishment of this Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges must be the attainment of the vitally important objective of gender equality as a feature of the democracy we are striving to construct in South Africa.

 

The Chapter is a juristic person. It is a non-profit and non-governmental organization. A firm resolution is the empowerment of female judicial officers, who are magistrates and judges. The creation of an inclusive judiciary is its principle aim and focus. The membership of the Chapter comprises both Judges and Magistrates and seeks to bring together judicial officers in South Africa who embrace the objectives of the Chapter and the International Association of Women Judges. The South African Chapter welcomes all judicial officers, regardless of gender, race, or rank in the judicial hierarchy, with the aim of promoting solidarity among judicial officers....read more

 

Thank you for visiting our website. We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Email Vice President Publications at EvanderSchyff@judiciary.org.za

THE EXECUTIVE

Follow this link to view the profiles of the members of the Executive.

President

Judge President,
Segopotje Sheila Mphahlele
Email: Smphahlele@judiciary.org.za

Vice President

Regional Magistrate
Anthia Maria Ramos
Email: ARamos@lcjudiciary.org.za

Vice President:
Publications

Judge Elmarie van der Schyff
Email: EvanderSchyff@judiciary.org.za

Assistant Vice President:
Publications

Regional Magistrate Audrey Mashigo
Email: AMashigo@justice.gov.za

Vice President: Programmes

Judge Shanaaz Christine Mia
Email: SMia@judiciary.org.za

Assistant Vice-President: 
Programmes

Judge Maletsatsi Betty Mahalelo
Email: BMahalelo@judiciary.org.za

Treasurer

Deputy Judge President Tebogo Djaje
Email: tdjaje@judiciary.org.za

Secretary

Senior Magistrate Lalitha Chetty
Email: Lchetty@lcjudiciary.org.za

Assistant Secretary

Regional Magistrate Ntsoki Moni
Email: NMoni@lcjudiciary.org.za

WHAT WE DO

The South African Chapter promotes the participation of its members in national and international conferences, judicial exchanges, seminars, and training programs to increase their understanding of the broad range of social, economic, psychological, and cultural factors that affect and/or influence women who interact with or are affected by the justice system. Additionally,  the Chapter supports programmes and activities to discourage violence and abuse in our society, with a particular focus on violence against women, children, and other vulnerable groups in support of a violence-free society.


One of our primary objectives is to facilitate and encourage the exchange of information on issues of mutual interest, to look at challenges of women leadership in the judiciary, and to bridge the gap, being the lack of communication, between Lower and Higher Courts...read more

Resources

Visit the Resources page to view membership information, documents, forms, AGMs, newsletters, media statements and speeches.

SAC IAWJ MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

complete the SAC IAWJ Membership Application Form to join us in becoming a part of the network of judicial officers around the world who empower women so that day to day problems of women and children can be properly resolved through judicial systems.

SAC IAWJ MEMBERSHIP STOP ORDER DEDUCTION

Follow this link to complete the SAC IAWJ Stop Order Form authorizing Persal to deduct the monthly subscription from my salary.

Contact Us

Secretary

Senior Magistrate, Lalitha Chetty

Email: Lchetty@lcjudiciary.org.za

 

Assistant Secretary

Regional Magistrate, Ntsoki Moni

Email: NMoni@lcjudiciary.org.za

 

Treasurer

Deputy Judge President, Tebogo Djaje

Email: tdjaje@judiciary.org.za