Langa receives honourary doctorate
Wits University's Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management has conferred former Chief Justice Pius Nkonzo Langa with a posthumous honourary Doctorate of Laws. The university conferred the honourary doctorate on Langa for his unselfish, inspirational and steadfast service to his country and his profession.
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His long and distinguished legal career moved in parallel with a number of watershed events in South Africa's history. In the symbolically significant year of 1976 he obtained his LLB degree which empowered him to play a meaningful role in the struggle against apartheid and the attainment of our constitutional democracy. In the equally significant year of 1994, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to that effort, he was co-entrusted with the guardianship of our Constitution. Through both his advocacy prior to his judicial career and through his judgment thereafter, he enriched our constitutional democracy.
Dedicated service
Langa's dedicated service to South Africa was evidenced by his participation in many organisations that were committed to ending apartheid and ensuring democratic rule. These included the UDF, the Multi-Party Negotiating Forum, CODESA, the Constitutional Committee of the ANC, and the advisory group to the Groote Schuur. He was a founder member of the Release Mandela Committee of Natal and a member of the regional and national reception committee that facilitated and accelerated the release of political prisoners.
He was appointed to the Police Board to assist with the transformation of the SAPS under the aegis of the National Peace Accord, formed to stem the violence that plagued parts of South Africa in the eighties and early nineties, served as a member of the commission of enquiry into unrest in prisons and was a member of the commission of inquiry into certain alleged covert SADF activities.
