Dikgang Moseneke: warrior for justice

Abstract

Former deputy chief justice Dikgang Ernest Moseneke was drawn into being a freedom fighter and activist very early in life. His involvement in the struggle against apartheid influenced his work in the post-apartheid era, which focuses on upholding the Constitution. Justice Moseneke's use of the Constitution to create a better society for all is a vital aspect of the activism that he has displayed throughout his life.Moseneke was born on 20 December 1947 in Pretoria, where he completed both his primary and secondary education. He is the son of a headmaster and teacher. At the age of 14 years, he joined the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC), and in the following year was arrested, detained and convicted for participating in anti-apartheid political activities. He described his arrest as follows: 'The fateful arrest on 21 March was, as the saying goes, a life-changer. It set and dyed my world from then on to now. It imposed me on an inexorable path.' While serving his ten-years' prison sentence on Robben Island, he obtained a BA in English and political science, and a BJuris degree. He later completed an LLB, all conferred by Unisa.