Raymond Mnyamezeli Mlungisi "Ray" Zondo (born 4 May 1960) is a South African judge who is currently serving as Chief Justice of South Africa since 2022 and Chancellor of the University of Zululand. President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Zondo as South Africa's new chief justice with effect from 1 April 2022.^[1] He served as acting Chief Justice from 11 October 2021, when Mogoeng Mogoeng retired, until 31 March 2022. ^[2]

Quick Facts The Honourable, 22nd Chief Justice of South Africa ...

The Honourable Raymond Zondo
22nd Chief Justice of South Africa
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 April 2022 Acting: 11 October 2021 - 31 March 2022
Appointed by	Cyril Ramaphosa
Deputy	Mandisa Maya
Preceded by	Mogoeng Mogoeng
5th Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa
In office 7 June 2017 – 31 March 2022
Chief Justice	Mogoeng Mogoeng
Preceded by	Dikgang Moseneke
Succeeded by	Mandisa Maya
Chairperson of the Zondo Commission
In office 21 August 2018 – 1 January 2022
Appointed by	President Jacob Zuma
Preceded by	Commission established
Succeeded by	Commission abolished
Judicial career (1997-present) Judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa Incumbent Assumed office 1 September 2012 Appointed by Jacob Zuma Judge President of the Labour Court of South Africa In office 1 May 2000 – April 2010 Appointed by Thabo Mbeki Judge of the North Gauteng High Court In office April 1999 – August 2012 Appointed by Nelson Mandela Judge of the Labour Court of South Africa In office 1 November 1997 – August 1999 Appointed by Nelson Mandela
Chancellor of the University of Zululand
Incumbent
Assumed office April 2018
Vice-Chancellor	Xoliswa Mtose
Preceded by	Jacob Zuma
Personal details
Born	Raymond Mnyamezeli Mlungisi Zondo (1960-05-04) 4 May 1960 (age 63) Ixopo, Natal, Union of South Africa
Citizenship	South Africa
Children	8
Residence(s)	Johannesburg, South Africa
Alma mater	University of Zululand (BJuris) University of Natal (LLB) University of South Africa (LLM)
Occupation	Judge attorney law clerk
Profession	Lawyer

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Zondo was educated at St Mary's Seminary in Ixopo, the University of Zululand and the University of Natal, where he completed his LLB. He was admitted as an attorney in 1989 and practised as a partner in Mathe & Zondo Inc. Judge Zondo received a Master of Laws in commercial law, a Master of Laws in labour law, and a Master of Laws in patent law at the University of South Africa.

In 1997 he was appointed a judge of the Labour Court,^[3] and in 1999 he was appointed to the Transvaal Provincial Division of the High Court (later the North Gauteng High Court, now the Gauteng Division).^[4] In 2000 he was elevated to Judge President of the Labour Court,^[4] a post in which he served for ten years.^[5] In 2010 he returned to the Pretoria High Court.

From November 2011 to May 2012, Zondo served as an acting judge of the Constitutional Court. He was permanently appointed with effect from September 2012^[6] and is now considered a key member, with Chris Jafta, of the Court's conservative wing.^[7] In June 2017, President Jacob Zuma appointed Zondo to the office of Deputy Chief Justice, succeeding Dikgang Moseneke who retired in 2016.^[8] On 10 March 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Zondo as the new Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, effective 1 April.^[9]

Shortly after taking office in 2018, Ramaphosa approved an inquiry into allegations of corruption during the previous Jacob Zuma government administration,^[10][11] stating that "This is the year in which we will turn the tide of corruption in our public institutions".^[12] Zondo was appointed as presiding judge for the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State, leading to its popular name, the Zondo Commission. Hearings began on 20 August 2018^[13] and were expected to last for two years.