This week on Womanity, Dr. Amaleya Goneos-Malka speaks with Judge Nobulawo Martha Mbhele, the Deputy Judge President of the Free State Division of the High Court. Judge Mbhele’s path to the judiciary was shaped by deeply personal encounters with injustice: the trauma of apartheid police raids during her childhood and the rape and  murder of her cousin, a victim of gender-based violence. These painful experiences ignited her determination to use the law as a tool to restore dignity and give voice to the voiceless.

She reflects on her journey, growing up on a farm where her father was a labourer with limited resources, and how being in the right place at the right time can change the course of your life. She relays how in a December school holiday she stood in for her mother doing domestic work and the farmer they worked for had collected the post from town and she and the farmer opened her school report, where she had scored ‘As’ for all her subjects. The farmer was highly impressed with her results and told her when she matriculated, she must tell him what she wanted to do. When she attained her matric, incidentally at the same time as one of her brothers, her father made the courageous decision of choosing to send his daughter to university despite patriarchal expectations of the day and set her on the path to becoming a lawyer. Supported by her family and community, she rose through challenges to eventually hold one of the highest judicial positions in the country.

The conversation explores  Judge Mbhele’s philosophy of leadership in the judiciary, balancing judicial independence with administrative responsibilities, and her recent experience as an Acting Justice at the Supreme Court of Appeal, where she learned the weight of precision and the value of collective judicial wisdom.

Judge Mbhele also shares her unwavering passion for access to justice, recounting her years at Legal Aid South Africa and her dedication to ensuring vulnerable communities have fair representation. She addresses the systemic barriers facing women in the legal profession, including skewed briefing patterns and the urgent need to retain female talent in the system.

As the discussion turns to gender-based violence, Judge Mbhele offers insights on the newly signed National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act, stressing its potential to drive systemic change if backed by strong implementation and accountability.

Beyond her judicial work, she pays tribute to the women who have inspired her, like her resilient mother, pioneering women judges, and mentors who taught her discipline, courage, and the power of using one’s voice. She closes with an empowering message to women and girls: resilience is not waiting for the storm to pass, but moving forward despite it; every opportunity must be embraced fully, as women often get fewer chances to prove themselves.

Judge Mbele is living proof that nothing is impossible.

Special thanks to Lusanda Ntuli the Deputy Director: Communications at the Office of the Chief Justice who makes our annual series showcasing female judges possible.

Happy women’s month.

Tune in for more…