What's New
Statement
South Africa to host the 17th IAWJ Biennial Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, 04 April 2025.
The conference is held under the theme Resilience: Women in Leadership to End Gender-Based Violence & Femicide, and will bring together approximately 900 Judges, Magistrates, legal professionals, and policymakers from across the world to address the global scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide through judicial leadership and activism.
Visit the Resources page to view documents, forms, AGMs, newsletters, media statements and speeches.
About US
The South African Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges was formed in August 2004 and was formally inaugurated by the then South African President Thabo Mbeki at a ceremony on 8 August 2004. He expressed that in the construction of a genuine democracy it imposes an obligation to end the clearly unjust situation of the gross under-representation of women in our judiciary. Hence the establishment of this Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges must be the attainment of the vitally important objective of gender equality as a feature of the democracy we are striving to construct in South Africa.
The Chapter is a juristic person. It is a non-profit and non-governmental organization. A firm resolution is the empowerment of female judicial officers, who are magistrates and judges. The creation of an inclusive judiciary is its principle aim and focus. The membership of the Chapter comprises both Judges and Magistrates and seeks to bring together judicial officers in South Africa who embrace the objectives of the Chapter and the International Association of Women Judges. The South African Chapter welcomes all judicial officers, regardless of gender, race, or rank in the judicial hierarchy, with the aim of promoting solidarity among judicial officers....read more
Thank you for visiting our website. We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Email Vice President Publications at CBhoola@justice.gov.za
THE EXECUTIVE
Follow this link to view the profiles of the members of the Executive.
President
Judge President, Thoba Poyo-Dlwati
Vice President
Judge President, Segopotje Sheila Mphahlele
Vice President: Publications
Senior Magistrate, Jinx Bhoola
Assistant Vice President: Publications
Regional Court Magistrate, Charmaine La Marque
Vice President: Programmes
Judge, Lani Opperman
Assistant Vice-President: Programmes
Senior Magistrate, Chetna Singh
Treasurer
Judge, Colleen Collis
Secretary
Regional Court Magistrate, Sadia Jacobs
Assistant Secretary
Senior Magistrate, Tshadi LeshomoWHAT WE DO
The South African Chapter promotes the participation of its members in national and international conferences, judicial exchanges, seminars, and training programs to increase their understanding of the broad range of social, economic, psychological, and cultural factors that affect and/or influence women who interact with or are affected by the justice system. Additionally, the Chapter supports programmes and activities to discourage violence and abuse in our society, with a particular focus on violence against women, children, and other vulnerable groups in support of a violence-free society.
One of our primary objectives is to facilitate and encourage the exchange of information on issues of mutual interest, to look at challenges of women leadership in the judiciary, and to bridge the gap, being the lack of communication, between Lower and Higher Courts...read more
Resources
Visit the Resources page to view membership information, documents, forms, AGMs, newsletters, media statements and speeches.
SAC IAWJ MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
complete the SAC IAWJ Membership Application Form to join us in becoming a part of the network of judicial officers around the world who empower women so that day to day problems of women and children can be properly resolved through judicial systems.
SAC IAWJ MEMBERSHIP STOP ORDER DEDUCTION
Follow this link to complete the SAC IAWJ Stop Order Form authorizing Persal to deduct the monthly subscription from my salary.
Contact Us
Secretary
SADIA JACOBS
Email: SadJacobs@justice.gov.za
Postal Address: Magistrates Court, Private Bag X9010, East London, 5241
Street Address: Address:4 Buffalo Street, East London, 5241
Assistant Secretary
TSHADI LESHOMO
Email: tleshomo@justice.gov.za
Cell number: 083 284 4755
Treasurer
COLLEEN COLLIS
Email: CoCollis@judiciary.org.za
Postal: Private Bag X9010, East London, 5241