Madlanga Honoured as Fort Hare Launches International Moot Court Competition in His Name
Retired Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga has been honoured by the University of Fort Hare, which has named a new international moot court competition after the veteran jurist in recognition of his contribution to South Africa’s legal profession and the development of future lawyers.
The Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga International Moot Court Competition was officially launched at the university in the Eastern Cape on Friday.
The initiative, hosted by Fort Hare’s Faculty of Law, is designed to give aspiring legal practitioners practical experience in research, legal writing, advocacy and critical thinking through simulated court proceedings.
But beyond the courtroom exercises, the competition is intended to expose students to some of the most pressing constitutional and legal questions facing society while strengthening relationships between universities, the judiciary and the legal profession.
For Madlanga, the honour was deeply personal, but he was quick to shift the focus away from himself.
“I do not consider this to be about me. I consider it to be more about Fort Hare’s students who have excelled in competing not only locally but also internationally,” he said.
He described the recognition as touching, heartwarming and humbling, while pointing to the achievements of Fort Hare students as the real reason for the initiative.
“This speaks volumes when we look at where they come from,” Madlanga said.
Madlanga praises Fort Hare’s investment in future lawyers
Madlanga praised the university for strengthening jurisprudence training and creating opportunities for students to sharpen the forensic skills expected of legal practitioners.
He said competitions of this nature could play an important role in strengthening South Africa’s legal system by preparing students for the demands of professional practice.
Many judicial officers, he noted, are ultimately drawn from the ranks of legal practitioners, making the quality of legal training an important part of the country’s broader justice system.
The moot court competition therefore represents more than an academic exercise. It provides students with an opportunity to test their ability to construct legal arguments, analyse complex questions and advocate before a simulated court.
Madlanga keeps commission work off the record
Madlanga’s appearance at Fort Hare came as he continues to chair one of the country’s most closely watched inquiries.
He heads the high profile commission of inquiry investigating allegations of corruption, political interference and criminality within South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
Asked about the commission’s work during the event, Madlanga declined to comment.
He said he had held only one media briefing before the hearings began and had deliberately refrained from making public comments about the inquiry.
Madlanga indicated that he would speak about the commission’s work when he considered the time appropriate.
His refusal to discuss the inquiry kept the focus firmly on the day’s occasion: the launch of an initiative aimed at developing the next generation of South African legal minds.
A legacy rooted in legal education
The launch adds another chapter to Madlanga’s longstanding relationship with the Eastern Cape and its legal institutions.
A former Constitutional Court justice, Madlanga retired from judicial office in 2025 after a distinguished legal career.
His name was already attached to Fort Hare’s internal moot court programme. The new international competition builds on that foundation and expands the initiative’s reach beyond the university.
The university said the competition would help develop legal professionals who are not only technically capable but also grounded in constitutional values and ethical leadership.
The launch was attended by prominent figures from the judiciary, academia and the legal profession, underscoring the importance attached to legal education and the development of young advocates.
For Fort Hare, the competition is ultimately an investment in the future of the profession.
For Madlanga, the honour appears to carry a broader meaning: a recognition of students who have demonstrated that talent and legal excellence can emerge from institutions with deep historical roots in South Africa’s struggle for education, justice and constitutional democracy.
