Constitutional Court of South Africa

Constitutional Court List 10 other official names: Konstitusionele Hof (Afrikaans) iKhotho yoMthetho-sisekelo (Southern Ndebele) iNkundla yoMgaqo-siseko (Xhosa) iNkantolo yoMthethosisekelo (Zulu) iNkantolo yeMtsetfosisekelo (Swazi) Kgorotsheko ya Molaotheo (Northern Sotho) Lekgotla la Dinyewe la Molaotheo (Sotho) Kgotlatshekelo ya Molaotheo (Tswana) Khoto ya Vumbiwa (Tsonga) Khothe ya Ndayotewa (Venda)
Constitutional Court building
Emblem of the Constitutional Court
26°11′19″S 28°2′36″E / 26.18861°S 28.04333°E / -26.18861; 28.04333
Established	1994
Jurisdiction	South Africa
Location	Constitution Hill, Johannesburg
Coordinates	26°11′19″S 28°2′36″E / 26.18861°S 28.04333°E / -26.18861; 28.04333
Composition method	Presidential appointment, after consultation
Authorised by	Constitution of South Africa
Judge term length	non-renewable 12 years (extendable by Parliament)
Number of positions	11
Website	www.concourt.org.za
Chief Justice of South Africa
Currently	Mandisa Maya
Since	1 September 2024
Acting Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa
Currently	Mbuyiseli Madlanga
Since	1 September 2024

The Constitutional Court of South Africa is the supreme constitutional court established by the Constitution of South Africa, and is the apex court in the South African judicial system, with general jurisdiction.

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 sits in the city of Johannesburg. After initially occupying commercial offices in Braamfontein, it now sits in a purpose-built complex on Constitution Hill. The first court session in the new complex was held in February 2004. Originally the final appellate court for constitutional matters, since the enactment of the Seventeenth Amendment of the Constitution in 2013, the Constitutional Court has jurisdiction to hear any matter if it is in the interests of justice for it to do so.

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. The Court is headed by the Chief Justice of South Africa and the Deputy Chief Justice. 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. Decisions are reached by a majority and written reasons are given.