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You are here: Home / News / Beware of populist leaders, warns judge

Beware of populist leaders, warns judge

17 September 2026 by Guest

Justice Azhar Cachalia makes a clarion call for the rule of law underpinned by universal human rights and an independent judiciary

Retired justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal Azhar Cachalia defended the South African Constitution in the annual Ben Beinart lecture. Illustration: Lisa Nelson
This is an edited and shortened extract from Azhar Cachalia’s Ben Beinart lecture, delivered on 15 September at UCT. Justice Cachalia described the life of Ben Beinart, and then his own family’s life under apartheid. The extract below starts with his warning about populism.

Populist leaders, including some in the ANC and minority parties, pose significant threats to South Africa’s constitutional order.
Ben Beinart, a Jewish legal scholar whose family had fled European persecution, had his worldview shaped by the global rise of fascism. When he became the WP Schreiner Professor of Roman Law at UCT…

Read More: Beware of populist leaders, warns judge.

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Category: NewsTag: GroundUp

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. PepperBurst

    18 September 2026 at 2:34 am

    Fun South African Fact: Despite the country’s status as a democratic republic, the Province of KwaZulu-Natal has a monarchy, specially provided for by the Constitution. Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu is the King of the Zulu Nation, has 27 kids and 6 wives and lives, literally, like a King!

  2. Moon Cricket

    18 September 2026 at 1:37 am

    \”Reeeelly??\” says Van.

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    He starts steering towards the pedestrian, grinning from ear-to-ear, then at the last second he swerves back onto the road. But he hears a terrific \’thud\’, and he glances left to see Van closing the door.

    \”What the hell, man!\’ he shouts.

    \”Jirrah\” says Van, \”You need to get those sights adjusted, china, If I hadn\’t opened the door, you would have missed him completely!\”

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