By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
The J20 is underway in Sandton from Wednesday 3 September 2025- Thursday 4 September 2025. Its aim is to highlight the global agenda on what judges and judiciaries are supposed to do in the climate of political crisis.
Judges around the globe are faced with an overwhelming crisis with United States President Donald Trump has been attacking judiciary institutions in the first 8 months of his second term as American President.
Trump has issued injunctions against judges who have been limiting his staggering executive orders. Via X (Twitter) FBI Director Kash Patel posted an image of a court judge being hauled away in handcuffs for allegedly obstructing justice.
Trump has also taken to targeting global judiciary institutions such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and has even gone as far as sanctioning the judges of the International Criminal Court. Trump is not alone in his rampage against judiciary systems as countries like Turkey have even made amendments to their constitutions in order to control their judiciary systems.
The J20 summit will be guided under the theme of “Justice in a time of change: Independence, innovation and Cooperation” which will provide a platform to discuss and exchange global solidarity and exchange of ideas.
South Africa has its own history of fighting against authoritative powers and aiming to uphold constitutional laws, such as the state capture arc, Nkandla scandal, as well as the impeachment of the President.
10 years ago, the Chief Justice at the time, Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng had called in a meeting with former President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma and the Speaker of Parliament, in order to discuss the political tension faced within South Africa which was affecting the judiciary system’s ability to uphold constitutional law.
This J20 will mark its fifth convention, with the first one being held in Argentina in 2018.
“The challenges we face from ensuring equal access to justice, to navigating the digital frontier, to upholding the dignity of every individual are not confined by borders, they are human challenges and they demand collective wisdom-driven solutions,” said Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo in his opening remarks of the J20 summit.
“There are moments that demand not just reflection but resolution. Moments that call upon the skewers of justice to step forward and affirm power of the law. This is one of those moments,” said Chief Justice Mandisa Maya in her address at the summit.
“This meeting stands to show an inexorable evolution in global governance, and the recognition that the judiciary is an indispensable pillar in addressing the most pressing challenges of our time,” she added.
Chief Justice Maya also emphasised the efficiency of Artificial Intelligence despite being cautioned about the new found transformation that it brings.
“We are cautioned to approach this transformation with a balanced perspective, one that enthusiastically acknowledges AI’s profound potential to enhance efficiency, reduce crippling backlogs, and lower the costs of legal services,” she said.
