Date of Birth

September 1959

University

B.Proc (1983) (University of the North – now University of Limpopo), LLB (2019) (University of South Africa)

History at the Court:

Appointed Deputy Chief Justice: 1 August 2025.

Brief biography

Deputy Chief Justice Mlambo was born in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, and matriculated from Thembeka High School in KaNyamazane, Nelspruit, in 1979. He completed his B.Proc degree at the University of the North in 1983.

In 1987, Mlambo was admitted to the fellowship programme of the Legal Resources Centre in Johannesburg. He joined the corporate law firm Bowman Gilfillan in 1988 as a candidate attorney, rising to associate partner by 1993. In 1995, he established his own law firm, Mlambo & Modise Attorneys.

In 1997, Mlambo was appointed as a judge of the Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court, where he played a significant role in transforming what had been a dysfunctional institution. In 2000, he was transferred to the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, where he served for five years. In 2005, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Appeal, becoming one of the first black judges in that court, where he served until 2010.

In 2010, Mlambo returned to the Labour Court as its Judge President, serving until 2012. His leadership helped consolidate improvements in the Labour Court’s functioning.

On 1 November 2012, Mlambo was appointed Judge President of the Gauteng Division of the High Court by President Jacob Zuma. As head of the largest and busiest high court system in South Africa, he served with distinction for nearly thirteen years, introducing electronic case management systems and substantially improving case flow.

Following the appointment of Chief Justice Maya in September 2024, the position of Deputy Chief Justice became vacant. In July 2025, the Judicial Service Commission interviewed candidates for the position and recommended Mlambo. President Ramaphosa appointed him as Deputy Chief Justice with effect from 1 August 2025.

JSC interviews

July 2025 – Deputy Chief Justice (appointed)

Selection of Judgments written

To be populated with a selection of Constitutional Court judgments authored by Deputy Chief Justice Mlambo.