Pius Langa

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Pius Nkonzo Langa (25 March 1939 – 24 July 2013) was a South African judge who became the country’s first black Chief Justice, serving from 1 June 2005 to 11 October 2009. Before that, he was Deputy Chief Justice (2001–2005) and a long-time Constitutional Court judge (1995–2009).

Early life and path to law
Langa grew up in poverty in Bushbuckridge. He left school as a teenager, worked in a clothing factory, and studied for his matric while working in the Department of Justice. He later trained as a lawyer, becoming an advocate in 1977. He defended anti-apartheid activists in political cases and worked with civic and legal groups that opposed apartheid.

Public service and the Constitutional Court
In 1995, Nelson Mandela appointed him to South Africa’s newly formed Constitutional Court. He became Deputy President of the Court in 1997, and when the court was reorganized in 2001, his title became Deputy Chief Justice. In 2005, President Thabo Mbeki named him Chief Justice, a position he held until his retirement in 2009. As Chief Justice, Langa was known for his calm, conciliatory leadership during a turbulent political era. He helped guide the court through high-profile cases, including matters connected to the then-prosecuted corruption cases around Deputy President Jacob Zuma, and he led efforts to establish the independent Office of the Chief Justice.

Retirement and legacy
After retiring, Langa chaired the Press Freedom Commission (2011–2012), which looked at the regulation of the media. He received numerous honors for his work in law, human rights, and public service, including the Gruber Foundation’s Prize for Justice (2004) and South Africa’s Order of the Baobab (Gold) in 2008. He also held roles in academia and was the chancellor of the University of Natal (1998–2004) and the first chancellor of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (2006–2010). A training institute for advocacy, the Pius Langa School of Advocacy, is named in his honor.

Personal life
Langa married Beauty Langa in 1966; she died in 2009. The couple had six children. Langa passed away in Johannesburg in 2013 and was given a special official funeral.

Pius Langa is remembered for his dignity, moral leadership, and commitment to a fair, rights-based Constitution that helped shape post-apartheid South Africa.