Malcolm Rivera
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is located at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, near the suburb of Hillbrow. The court building, which opened in February 2004, was constructed using bricks from the demolished awaiting-trial wing of the former prison. The Constitutional Court is the highest court in South Africa, interpreting, protecting, and enforcing the Constitution. It deals exclusively with constitutional matters and issues connected to decisions on constitutional matters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Constitution Hill, 11 Kotze Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg |
| Building Materials | Bricks from the demolished awaiting-trial wing of the former prison |
| Building Design | Joint entry by South African firms Urban Solutions and OMM Design Workshop |
| Judges | 11 judges appointed by the President of South Africa |
| Court Sessions | Open to the public |
| Court Functions | Interpretation, protection, and enforcement of the Constitution |
| Court Jurisdiction | Restricted to constitutional matters and connected issues |
| Court Powers | Ability to condone non-compliance with rules in appropriate cases |
| Court Decisions | Reached by a majority with written reasons provided |
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What You'll Learn
The Constitutional Court's address
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is located at 1 Hospital Street, Constitution Hill, Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The court building is open to the public, who are welcome to attend hearings, soak up the atmosphere, and view the art gallery in the court atrium.
Constitution Hill is located at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, near the western end of the suburb of Hillbrow. The Hill overlooks downtown Johannesburg to the south and the wealthy northern suburbs of Houghton, Parktown, and Sandton to the north.
The Constitutional Court's new home is the site of the Old Fort, one of the city's most dramatic historical landmarks. The prison was closed in 1983, and most of it was demolished to make way for the new court. However, the stairwells were kept and incorporated into the new building as a reminder of South Africa's painful past.
The Constitutional Court's building was designed to embody the openness and transparency called for by the Constitution. An international architectural competition was held in 1997 for the design of the new building, with the brief to create a structure rooted in the South African landscape, physically and culturally. The winning design, by a team of young South African architects, was based on the concept of "justice under a tree". The building is noted for its transparency and entrancing volumes, and its welcoming rather than forbidding atmosphere.
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The Court's function
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is the country's highest court on constitutional matters. It was established by the Interim Constitution of 1993 and its first session began in February 1995. The Court sits in Johannesburg, in a purpose-built complex on Constitution Hill.
The Court consists of eleven judges who are appointed by the President of South Africa from a list drawn up by the Judicial Service Commission. The judges serve for a term of twelve years and decisions are reached by a majority, with written reasons given. The Court is headed by the Chief Justice of South Africa and the Deputy Chief Justice, and the Constitution requires that a matter before the Court be heard by at least eight judges. In practice, all eleven judges hear almost every case.
The Court's building is open to the public who want to attend hearings or view the art gallery in the court atrium. The court houses a collection of more than 200 contemporary artworks, and the doors to the Court have the 27 rights of the Bill of Rights carved into them, written in all 11 official languages of South Africa.
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The Court's history
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is the supreme constitutional court established by the country's first democratic Constitution in 1994. The court was first established by the Interim Constitution of 1993, and its first session began in February 1995. It has continued in existence under the Constitution of 1996. The court is located in Johannesburg, South Africa, at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein, near the western end of the suburb of Hillbrow.
The Constitutional Court consists of eleven judges who are appointed by the President of South Africa from a list drawn up by the Judicial Service Commission. The judges serve for a term of twelve years and must not be members of Parliament, the government, or any political party. The Court is headed by the Chief Justice of South Africa and the Deputy Chief Justice, and its function is to determine the meaning of the Constitution in relation to matters in dispute. The movement for the establishment of a constitutional court in South Africa was begun in 1920 by the African National Congress (ANC). By 1956, judges and liberals in the country had drawn up a bill of rights in support of the creation of the court.
The Constitutional Court is housed in a purpose-built complex on Constitution Hill, which was designed to embody the openness and transparency called for by the Constitution. The building incorporates elements of the site's history as the Old Fort prison complex, including the use of 150,000 bricks from the demolished prison buildings. The court building is open to the public, who can attend hearings or view the art gallery in the court atrium, which houses a collection of more than 200 contemporary artworks. The first court session in the new building was held in February 2004, and the complex was inaugurated by President Thabo Mbeki on Human Rights Day in 2004, marking 10 years of democracy in South Africa.
The Constitutional Court has handed down several significant judgments since its inception, including S v Makwanyane and Another (1995), which abolished the death penalty, Alexkor v Richtersveld Community (2003), which recognised rights to land under customary law, and Minister of Home Affairs and Another v Fourie and Another (2005), which legalised same-sex marriage.
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The building's design
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is located at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The court building is part of the Constitution Hill complex, which offers visitors a glimpse into South Africa's past and present through exhibitions and tours. The site is rich in history, as it was once the Old Fort, a former prison that held prominent figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Luthuli.
The building is noted for its transparency, with windows at head height inside and ground level outside. This design feature serves as a reminder that the judges' role is to act in the interests of the people rather than their self-interest. The court is also filled with sparkle and warmth, making it welcoming to visitors.
The Constitutional Court's construction incorporated 150,000 bricks from the demolished prison buildings, including the stairwells, which were preserved as a reminder of South Africa's political transition. The court also features an art gallery with over 200 contemporary artworks and doors carved with the 27 rights of the Bill of Rights in all 11 official languages of South Africa.
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Visiting the Court
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is located in Johannesburg, at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein. The Court's building is open to the public who are welcome to attend hearings, view the art gallery in the court atrium, or simply explore the history of South Africa's political transition.
The Court's permanent home, inaugurated in 2004, is in a historically rich location, where densely populated Hillbrow meets affluent Parktown and bureaucratic Braamfontein. The site, known as Constitution Hill, is the former location of the Old Fort, a prison that once jailed the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Luthuli. The prison closed in 1983, and the Court's judges deliberately chose to build on this site because of its history. The Court building was constructed using 150,000 bricks from the old prison buildings. The stairwells from the prison were kept and incorporated into the new building as a reminder of South Africa's past.
The Constitutional Court's design was the result of an international architectural competition held in 1997. The brief was to create a building rooted in the South African landscape, physically and culturally, without overemphasising the symbols of any section of the population. The winning design, based on the concept of "justice under a tree", was submitted by a team of young South African architects. The building is noted for its transparency and entrancing volumes, and its welcoming nature.
The Court is open to visitors daily between 9 am and 5 pm (except for Christmas Day and Good Friday). Admission is R15 for adults, R10 for students, schoolchildren, and pensioners, and R5 for children under 12 years. Entry is free on Tuesdays. Last tickets are sold at 4 pm. Visitors are welcome to attend hearings, which are held from 10 am to 11:15 am, from 11:30 am to 1 pm, and from 2 pm to 4 pm. The hearings are open to the public and the press, but no cameras or recorders are ordinarily permitted. Ordinary rules of decent dress and decorum apply.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is located at 11 Kotze Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
The address of the Constitutional Court of South Africa is 1 Hospital Street, Constitution Hill, Braamfontein, 2017.
The Constitutional Court of South Africa was inaugurated on 21 March 2004, on Human Rights Day, and opened to the public the following day.
