JUDGES MATTER

Judges Matter is a research and advocacy project dedicated to enhancing transparency and accountability within South Africa’s judiciary. A project of the Democratic Governance and Rights Unit (DGRU) at the University of Cape Town's Faculty of Law, Judges Matter conducts rigorous applied research, monitoring, and advocacy to inform evidence-based legal, policy and practice recommendations for reform to ensure the judiciary remains independent, effective, and trusted by the public.

Judges Matter focuses on the appointment of judges and magistrates, their conduct in upholding high ethical standards, and the governance and administration of the judiciary. Judges Matter attends, researches and writes on Judicial Service Commission and Magistrates Commission interviews for judges and magistrates, and Judicial Conduct Tribunals.

Every year, Judges Matter conducts over 200 media engagements that reach millions of South Africans in at least 10 official languages. Through this work, Judges Matter is a crucial watchdog over the South African judiciary.

Since 2026, the Claude Leon Foundation provides financial support to Judges Matter’s core work.