The Special Tribunal is a critical institution in South Africa’s fight against corruption, tasked with recovering public funds lost to fraud, corruption, and illicit financial flows. Since its establishment in 2019, it has undergone three iterations of leadership and membership.
Current Special Tribunal members (2024–2027)
On 1 November 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the new appointments for the Special Tribunal, marking the beginning of its third cohort. These appointments, made under the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act of 1996 and in consultation with Chief Justice Mandisa Maya, signal a renewed commitment to the Tribunal’s mandate. (Source)
Current members of the Special Tribunal:
2022 - May 2024 Special Tribunal members
In 2022, Judge Lebogang Modiba was appointed President of the Special Tribunal, succeeding Judge Gidfonia Mlindelwa Makhanya. Judges Soma Naidoo and Johannes Daffue joined as new appointees, replacing Judges Billy Mothle and Siraj Desai, while the rest of the previous members retained their roles.
However, the Tribunal faced challenges in 2024 when Judge Modiba stepped down and resigned in March, effective at the end of June. This leadership gap created operational delays and underscored the need for a robust and stable leadership structure. Learn more.
Learn more: https://www.justice.gov.za/tribunal/index.html
2019 - 2021 Special Tribunal members
The Special Tribunal was initially established on 1 October 2019. Judge Gidfonia Mlindelwa Makhanya served as its first President, leading a team of seven judges who laid the foundation for the Tribunal’s operations and processes.
