# Deputy Chief Justice Dunstan Mlambo has warned that without independence, the legitimacy of the judiciary and its ability to safeguard freedom would collapse. He delivered the keynote address at the opening of the J20 Summit of Constitutional and Supreme Courts in Johannesburg yesterday. The two-day summit is being held under the theme, Justice in a time of Change: Independence, Innovation and Co-operation. Mlambo says people rely on the courts for fairness and certainty, and if independence is compromised, so too is the protection of their rights.
Deputy Chief Justice Mlambo emphasises the importance of an independent judiciary