This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Judge Esther Steyn, permanent judge of the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court, acting judge of the Electoral Court, and acting judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Judge Steyn’s legal journey began with a Department of Justice scholarship straight out of school. A path inspired by a deeply personal childhood experience of witnessing her father’s humiliation due to poverty. That moment sparked her lifelong mission to understand people’s rights and use the law to protect them. Many years later a childhood friend reminded her that when they were ten years old that she had said, “One day, I will be a judge in this country.”

She reflects on her time in academia at the Universities of Cape Town and Western Cape, where she worked and studied simultaneously. Her writings championed victims’ rights long before South Africa had a Victims’ Charter. Her determination to uphold the right to liberty saw her challenging aspects of bail legislation, highlighting the fine balance between public safety and individual freedoms.

Judge Steyn shares candid accounts of gender discrimination in the early years of her career, including overtly sexist remarks from senior colleagues, and how she chose to rise above them through excellence and perseverance. She contrasts those times with today’s judiciary, where policies like the sexual harassment code championed by the current female Chief Justice, Mandisa Maya, offer far greater protections for women.

The conversation delves into high-profile and impactful cases she has presided over, from a landmark Facebook service judgment to the complex State v Zuma proceedings. She recounts her pivotal role in South Africa’s first Presidential Commission on Corruption, the Jali Commission, which exposed systemic corruption in Correctional Services, addressed prisoner abuse, and proposed reforms that, she laments, remain largely unimplemented.

Beyond the courtroom, Judge Steyn is passionate about mentorship and training, having guided many young women into judicial roles, emphasising that their achievements are their own. She believes in “pulling others up” and sees empowering the next generation as a vital way to strengthen the judiciary and society.

As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month, she offers inspiration for women and girls to persist in their studies, work hard, and never abandon their dreams out of fear of failure. Her message is clear: “If you start something, finish it – and remember, the only thing that makes your dream impossible is your fear of not achieving it.”

Tune in for more…