Johannesburg – The Constitutional Court is bidding farewell to retiring Justice Zukisa Laura Lumka Tshiqi.
At the end of this month, 31 May 2026, Justice Tshiqi will bring her distinguished 21-year judicial career to a close.
Justice Tshiqi’s journey in law began in the 1980s while studying for her B Proc degree at the University of the Witwatersrand.
She worked as a Legal Coordinator for the South African Council of Churches until 1989, before completing her articles at Neluheni Attorneys and being admitted as an attorney in 1991.
She went on to serve at Matlala Attorneys and later as Litigation Officer and Trial Advocacy Trainer for the Black Lawyers Association.
In 1994, she opened her own practice, which she ran for over a decade while also serving as a Senior Commissioner at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
Her judicial career formally began in 2005 when she was appointed to the Gauteng Division of the High Court.
Within two years, she was serving as an Acting Judge of the Competition Appeal Court, and by 2009, she had secured a permanent seat at the Supreme Court of Appeal.
After a decade at the SCA, she joined the Constitutional Court in October 2019.
Justice Tshiqi authored several landmark rulings that shaped South Africa’s constitutional jurisprudence.
In City Power v Grinpal (2015), she affirmed that municipal entities must comply with section 197 of the Labour Relations Act, ensuring the protection of workers during business transfers.
In Coughlan v Road Accident Fund (2015), she ruled that foster child grants could not be deducted from compensation claims, strengthening protections for vulnerable children.
Her 2021 judgment in Sithole v Sithole struck down discriminatory provisions of the Matrimonial Property Act, ensuring equality for black couples married under the former Black Administration Act.
Most recently, in Van Wyk v Minister of Employment and Labour (2025), she declared South Africa’s parental leave framework unconstitutional, paving the way for more equitable family leave policies.
Chief Justice Mandisa Maya praised Tshiqi’s “fairness, courage and fidelity to the Constitution,” wishing her a fulfilling retirement.
A ceremonial sitting of the Constitutional Court will be held today, 29 May, where Justice Tshiqi will deliver her final judgment.
Justice Tshiqi leaves behind a legacy of integrity and commitment to justice, having shaped key areas of labour law, family law, and constitutional equality.
