- Chief Justice Mandisa Maya said Justice Mokgohloa will be remembered not only as a Supreme Court of Appeal judge, but as a devoted mother, sister, aunt and grandmother.
- Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said her judgments eased the burden of poverty and inequality by giving practical effect to the Constitution.
- Judges, colleagues, friends, neighbours and family honoured a jurist whose courage, faith and compassion shaped both the law and the lives around her.
Justice Fikile Eunice Mokgohloa’s greatest legacy will not only be found in the judgments she wrote, but in the lives she changed through an unwavering commitment to dignity, equality and constitutional justice.
That was the message delivered by Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi as South Africa honoured the late Supreme Court of Appeal judge during her Special Official Funeral in Pretoria on Saturday 29 August 2026.
Justice Mokgohloa died on 20 August 2026 at the age of 65 while serving on the country’s second-highest court. President Cyril Ramaphosa accorded her a Special Official Funeral Category 2 in recognition of more than two decades of distinguished judicial service.
Justice Maya said the judiciary had lost far more than an exceptional jurist. She described Justice Mokgohloa as a woman with hopes, dreams and aspirations who loved deeply, lived fully and touched countless lives through her warmth, humility and generosity.
“We have lost not just a Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal, but a mother, a sister, an aunt and a grandmother, whose loss will be felt most deeply in the quiet moments,” Justice Maya said.
Justice Maya also recognised the family, friends and colleagues who stood beside Justice Mokgohloa throughout her journey of service, saying their love and support formed an inseparable part of the legacy the nation was celebrating.
A life devoted to transformative justice
Delivering the eulogy, Kubayi described Justice Mokgohloa’s passing as a profound loss to the judiciary, the legal profession and the people of South Africa.
Kubayi said the country owed the late judge a huge debt of gratitude for dedicating her life to building a just society. She reflected on Justice Mokgohloa’s remarkable journey from apartheid-era Pretoria to the Supreme Court of Appeal, saying her rise through a historically male-dominated judiciary became a powerful example for women and girls determined to pursue careers in law.
She said Justice Mokgohloa understood that the Constitution was drafted to transform society by confronting inequality and creating a socially just South Africa, and that philosophy became the foundation of her judicial work.
Judgments that changed lives
Kubayi highlighted Mchunu and Others v Executive Mayor, eThekwini Municipality and Others as one of Justice Mokgohloa’s defining judgments.
Justice Mokgohloa ruled in favour of informal settlement residents who had been unlawfully evicted by the eThekwini Municipality, setting aside a temporary court order that had enabled the eviction of thousands of poor people and left many homeless.
Kubayi said the judgment reinforced the constitutional rights to housing, dignity and equality while ensuring that public policy aligned with the Constitution’s promise of meaningful protection for vulnerable communities.
She also reflected on TM v ZJ, a landmark case involving a Muslim marriage that had not been registered under the Marriage Act. The husband argued that the marriage had already ended through the pronouncement of talaq, while the wife sought custody of the couple’s children, maintenance and legal costs pending divorce proceedings.
Justice Mokgohloa ruled that the wife could not be denied legal relief simply because her marriage was a Muslim marriage. Kubayi said the decision demonstrated that respect for religious rights cannot trump fairness and dignity, while affirming the important contribution women judges make to the development of equality jurisprudence.
Tributes from every corner of the judiciary
Acting President of the Supreme Court of Appeal Justice Dumisani Zondi described Justice Mokgohloa as a strong and passionate jurist whose greatest legacy would be found in the people she encouraged, the principles she stood for and the memories she left behind.
Judge President Thoba Poyo-Dlwati of the High Court in KwaZulu-Natal remembered Justice Mokgohloa’s light-hearted spirit, warmth and infectious laughter, saying her joyful personality left an indelible mark on colleagues, friends and everyone fortunate enough to know her.
Retired Judge President Justice Ephraim Makgoba reflected on her years as Deputy Judge President of the Limpopo Division, recalling her steady leadership, commitment to the Division and the lasting impression she made on judges and court staff who worked alongside her.
Former Northern Cape Judge President Justice Frans Kgomo paid tribute to his longtime friend and colleague, describing her life as “an odyssey of courage, an odyssey of determination and an odyssey of faith” by a woman who refused to let others define her potential or her future.
Constitutional Court Justice Nambitha Dambuza, speaking on behalf of Justice Mokgohloa’s friends, reflected on her remarkable resolve, deep faith and unwavering devotion to her family. She said her strength, compassion and loyalty left an enduring mark on everyone privileged to know her.
Judge Tshifhiwa Maumela, representing Justice Mokgohloa’s neighbours, shared cherished memories of her kindness, generosity and the strong sense of community she brought to those living around her, saying she remained approachable and caring despite the demands of judicial office.
The woman behind the robes
In the final family tribute, Justice Mokgohloa was remembered not for the titles she held, but for the love she gave as a mother, sister, aunt and grandmother whose wisdom, warmth and compassion shaped generations.
Her family said her enduring legacy would live on in the values she instilled, the lives she nurtured and the constitutional democracy she helped strengthen through both her judgments and her humanity.
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