President mourns passing of retired Constitutional Court Justice Lourens "Laurie" Ackermann

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been saddened by the passing of retired Constitutional Court Justice Lourens Wepener “Laurie” Ackermann, aged 90.

President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Justice Ackermann, who served on the apex court from 1994 to 2004, having been appointed by President Nelson Mandela.

President Ramaphosa said: “Justice Ackermann served the cause of human rights and the dismantling of apartheid with bravery and a distinctive legal intellect while serving as a judge during the apartheid era.

“His rejection of apartheid and its supporting institutions, including Parliament at that time, inevitably brought him into conflict with a system which pretended that the courts were independent.

“This conflict forced Judge Ackermann to resign, until he was reinstated on the Bench during our transition and was elevated to the inaugural Constitutional Court where he crafted jurisprudence that centred on the rights and dignity of historically disadvantaged individuals and communities.

“We will remember him for standing up against the apartheid state from within its very judicial vestiges and we are indebted to him, after 30 years of freedom, for his contribution to the judicial outlook and characteristics of the democratic and united South Africa.

“May his soul rest in peace.”

Media enquiries: Vincent Magwenya, Spokesperson to the President, on media@enquiries.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria