Albie Sachs: a constitutional revolutionary

Abstract

Albert 'Albie' Louis Sachs is best known as a former justice of the first bench of the Constitutional Court; he is also an activist, writer, teacher, lecturer and international personality straddling legal, political and scholarly activism. He has often been described as a humane person who has a heart for forgiveness. His background is rooted in radical politics, and his history and lived experiences have shaped his political convictions and ultimately his contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle. He was actively involved in the crafting of South Africa's constitution, and in the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court during what was called its 'golden period' under the leadership of Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson.